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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/civicmanualforch01winc 


, 


THE  NEW  CITY  IIALL  AND  COURT  HOUSE 


MIC. 

A CIVIC  MANUAL 

FOR 

CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY 
AND  ILLINOIS 


CONTAINING  A BRIEF  ACCOUNT  OF  THEIR  HISTORY 
AND  EXHIBITING  THEIR  GEOGRAPHICAL,  POLITICAL,  EDUCATIONAL, 
INDUSTRIAL,  AND  COMMERCIAL  FEATURES 


DESIGNED  FOR  USE  IN  SCHOOLS  AS  A TEXT-BOOK 
OR  SUPPLEMENTARY  READER,  AND  FOR 
REFERENCE  BY  CITIZENS  GENERALLY 


COMPILED  AND  WRITTEN 

BY 

S.  R.  WINGHELL 

Author  of  “ Chicago  Past  and  Present,"  “ Orthography,  Etymology  and 
Punctuation,"  and  various  other  text-books  for  schools 


A.  FLANAGAN  COMPANY 
CHICAGO 


Copyright,  1910 

BY 

A.  FLANAGAN  COMPAN  Y 


78 


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tk.  0 


-Withdrawn 

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PREFACE 


The  purpose  of  this  Manual  is  to  present  in  concise  form 
and  few  words  the  essential  facts  pertaining  to  Chicago, 
Cook  County,  and  the  State  of  Illinois.  Many  interesting 
details  have  of  necessity  been  omitted.  The  book  is  intended 
for  use  in  the  schools  of  the  state,  and  particularly  those  in 
Chicago  and  Cook  County.  The  facts  have  been  gathered 
as  far  as  possible  from  original  sources,  but  when  this  was 
not  possible,  from  reliable  authorities.  These  essential 
facts  should  be  supplemented  by  teachers  who  may  have 
access  to  other  works  of  a similar  kind,  but  dealing  more 
at  length  with  certain  features  and  less  with  the  subject  as 
a whole.  Much  more  might  be  contained  in  a volume  of 
this  kind,  but  it  was  thought  better  to  give  only  the  main 
facts  rather  than  to  run  the  risk  of  making  too  bulky  a 
volume. 

For  the  assistance  rendered  by  the  heads  of  departments 
in  the  city  government,  as  well  as  others,  and  especially  by 
the  school  principals  of  the  First  District  of  Chicago,  under 
the  supervision  of  Mr.  Charles  D.  Lowry,  the  author  desires 
to  acknowledge  special  obligations.  In  some  instances  the 
language  used  was  kindly  supplied  by  such  authorities. 

It  is  not  unlikely  that  the  book  will  be  found  to  be  marred 
by  some  errors  and  omissions.  Mention  of  them  will  be 
thankfully  received  by  the  writer. 

S.  R.  WINCHELL 


[1912  Edition] 


309440 


CONTENTS 


CHICAGO 

The  History  of  Chicago 7 

General  Geography  of  the  Chicago  Region 36 

The  Government  of  Chicago 49 

Leading  Institutions,  Associations,  Etc 119 

Commercial  and  Industrial  Features  of  Chicago. . . 135 

Other  Leading  Features  of  Chicago 158 

The  United  States  Government  in  Chicago 187 

COOK  COUNTY 

The  Government  of  Cook  County 201 

ILLINOIS 

The  Geography  of  Illinois 229 

The  History  of  Illinois 232 

The  Government  of  Illinois 254 

Final  Suggestions 268 

Index 273 


CHICAGO 


o 0 9 4 4 (i 


CHICAGO 


THE  HISTORY  OP  CHICAGO 

The  Name.  Many  theories  have  been  advanced  to  ex- 
plain the  origin  of  the  name  “Chicago.”  The  one  generally 
accepted  is  that  it  was  given  to  the  site  of  the  great  western 
metropolis  by  the  red  men ; being  derived  from  their  word 
for  wild  onion,  or,  as  some  claim,  from  the  Indian  name  for 
skunk  ( seganku ) ; and  having  been  bestowed  because  of  the 
ill-smelling  odors  which  arose  from  the  marshy  region  in 
its  early  days. 

Dr.  William  Barry,  first  secretary  of  the  Chicago  His- 
torical Society,  says : “Whatever  may  have  been  the  ety- 

mological meaning  of  the  word  ‘Chicago,’  in  its  practical 
use  it  probably  denoted  strong  or  great.  The  Indians  ap- 
plied this  term  to  the  Mississippi  River,  to  thunder,  or  to 
the  voice  of  the  great  Manitou.”  Edward  Hubbard,  the 
genealogist,  adopts  a similar  view,  and  says  that  the  word 
“Chicago,”  in  its  applications,  signified  “ strong , mighty,  pozv- 
erfnl.” 

N.  H.  Winchell,  in  studying  the  aborigines  of  Minnesota, 
made  the  following  memoranda  : — 

“De  LaSalle,  in  1681,  in  his  relation  of  his  trip  for  the 
discovery  of  the  Mississippi,  says: 

“ ‘Le  21  Decembre,  le  sieur  de  la  Salle  fit  embarquer  le 
sicnr  de  Tonty  avec  uhe  partie  de  scs  gens  sur  le  lac  des 

7 


8 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Ilinois,  pour  allcr  vers  la  riviere  Divine,  appelee  par  les 
sauvages  Chicagou.’* 

“In  1684  LaHontan  arrived  at  the  same  place,  from  the 
south,  and  called  it  Chekakou. 

“Also  Coronelli’s  map  of  1696  represents,  at  the  same 
place,  ‘R.  de  Chekagou.’  ” 

It  is  undoubtedly  true  that  the  name  was  given  to  the 
region  in  question  before  the  arrival  of  LaSalle. 

The  First  Settlement.  Though  the  site  of  Chicago  was 
discovered  by  a white  man,  its  first  permanent  settler  and 
land-owner  was  a negro,  a native  of  San  Domingo  named 
Jean  Baptiste  Point  de  Saible.  De  Saible,  coming  to  this 
country  from  his  native  land,  went  first  to  Saint  Louis,  then 
to  Peoria,  which  was  at  that  time  a French  trading-post. 
In  1777  he  built  a cabin  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Chicago 
River,  near  what  is  now  a corner  of  Kinzie  and  Pine 
Streets.  This  he  occupied  for  seventeen  years,  then  sold  to 
a French  trader  named  LeMai,  returning  to  Peoria,  where 
he  died. 

LeMai  occupied  the  cabin  until  1804,  when  he  sold  it  to 
John  Kinzie,  the  agent  of  Astor’s  American  Fur  Company. 

Mr.  Kinzie  soon  enlarged  his  cabin  and  transformed  it 
into  a comfortable  house.  Here  he  lived  among  the  Indians 


* This  quotation  is  substantially  the  same  as  an  entry  found  in  the 
journal  of  Zenobius  Membre,  who.  with  his  cousin,  Christian  Le  Clercq. 
accompanied  LaSalle  from  Fort  Frontenac  to  Fort  Cr&vecoeur  in  1678 
and  later  to  the  lower  Mississippi.  Membre  was  among  those  who  were 
with  LaSalle  on  his  last  sea  voyage  from  France,  and  was  massacred 
at  the  fort  on  the  coast  of  what  is  now  Texas,  where  he  had  been  left 
by  LaSalle  when  the  latter  took  his  last  journey  into  the  country. 
Membre  left  at  Quebec  a journal  of  his  voyage  down  the  Mississippi, 
which  Le  Clercq  later  edited.  Le  Clercq’s  entry  at  this  point  is  as  fol- 
lows : “On  the  21st  of  December,  I embarked  with  the  Sieur  de  Ton+y 
and  a part  of  our  people  on  Lake  Dauphin  [Lake  Michigan,  called  also 
the  lake  of  the  Illinois  by  LaSalle,  Marquette,  Dablon  and  others],  to  go 
toward  the  Divine  River,  called  by  the  Indians  Checagou.” 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


9 


for  twenty-three  years,  excepting  four  years  following  the 
massacre  at  Fort  Dearborn,  in  1812.  He  thus  earned  the 
well-deserved  title  of  “Father  of  Chicago." 

Up  to  this  time  Chicago  was  essentially  a French  settle- 
ment, though  in  1795,  by  a treaty  of  General  Anthony 
Wayne  with  the  Indians,  a space  of  ground  six  miles  square 
had  been  ceded  to  the  United  States.  This  cession  is  the 
first  real-estate  transfer  on  record  in  Chicago.  But  by  the 
earlier  conquest  of  Colonel  George  Rogers  Clark  the 
whole  of  what  was  known  as  “the  Illinois  Country”  was 
claimed  by  Virginia,  and  thus  Chicago  came  near  being  the 
metropolis  of  a slave  state.  In  1800  the  territory  of  Indiana 
was  organized,  and  Illinois  became  a county  of  that  terri- 
tory. It  remained  a part  of  Indiana  until  1809,  when 
it  was  made  a territory,  with  Ninian  Edwards  as  governor, 
and  Kaskaskia  the  capital.  Fort  Chicago  was  first  set 
up  July  4,  1803,  but  not  completed  till  the  following  fall, 
when  it  was  named  Fort  Dearborn,  in  honor  of  General 
Henry  Dearborn.  It  was  garrisoned  by  two  companies  of 
United  States  troops.  At  this  time  the  settlement  consisted 
of  only  three  or  four  French  fur-traders’  huts,  surrounded 
for  an  indefinite  distance  by  native  Indians.  It  remained 
under  United  States  authority  till  1818,  when  Illinois  became 
a state. 

Before  the  close  of  1833  there  were  fifty  families  living 
in  Chicago,  and  the  settlement  had  been  incorporated  as  a 
village.  The  United  States  government  spent  in  that  year 
thirty  thousand  dollars  in  dredging  the  Chicago  River. 
The  following  spring  an  unusually  large  freshet  carried 
away  the  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  stream,  thus  giving  access 


10 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


to  the  largest  lake  craft,  and  on  July  11th  of  that  year  the 
schooner  Illinois  entered  the  Chicago  River — the  first  large 
vessel  to  float  upon  its  surface. 

Great  Land  Treaty  with  the  Indians.  A great  impetus 
was  given  to  the  sale  of  real-estate  in  the  new  town  by  the 
opening  of  lands  for  settlement,  through  a treaty  made 
with  the  Indians  in  1833  and  ratified  February  21,  1835. 
This  treaty  was  really  one  of  the  most  important  events  in 
the  early  history  of  Chicago,  and  the  entire  West,  for  the 
effect  of  it  was  to  draw  thousands  of  speculators  to  the 
Northwest,  and  thus  begin  the  great  industrial  development 
of  the  richest  section  of  land  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the 
world.  Previously  the  Indians  so  far  outnumbered  the 
white  people  that  they  were  a burden  and  a serious  detri- 
ment, being  lazy,  dirty,  and  dissolute. 

When  the  United  States  Commissioners  came,  by  ap- 
pointment, in  September,  1833,  to  purchase  lands  of  the 
Indians  in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  seven  thousand  dusky 
warriors  of  the  Chippewa,  Ottawa  and  Pottawattomie  tribes 
met  them,  and  by  a treaty  signed  in  a large  tent  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  ceded  to  the  United  States  twenty  million 
acres  of  the  lands  which  they  had  occupied,  and  agreed  to 
move  twenty  days’  journey  west  of  the  Mississippi,  there 
to  occupy  an  equal  extent  of  territory,  which  was  to  be 
assigned  by  the  President. 

The  description  of  this  tract  reads  as  follows : — 

“Beginning  at  Grosse  Point,  twelve  miles  north  of  Chi- 
cago, thence  due  west  to  Rock  River,  thence  up  the  Rock  to 
its  source  near  Fond  du  Lac,  thence  southeast  along  the 
Milwaukee  River  to  Milwaukee.” 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


11 


The  Fort  Dearborn  Massacre  occurred  August  15, 
1812,  near  the  present  intersection  of  Prairie  Avenue  and 
Eighteenth  Street,  while  the  citizens  and  soldiers  were 
endeavoring  to  escape  from  the  fort.  Here  fifty-two  of  the 
seventy  persons  at  the  fort  were  foully  murdered  by  the 
Indians.  Their  bodies  still  lie  buried  on  the  lake  front  in 
what  is  now  Grant  Park,  but  the  exact  location  is  not  known. 

This  tragedy  put  a check  on  the  growth  of  the  settlement, 
but  the  spirit  of  Chicago  was  hovering  over  the  place,  and 
its  future  development  and  growth  were  inevitable. 

John  Kinzie  was  one  of  the  few  who  escaped  with  his 
life  at  the  time  of  the  massacre.  He  returned  to  Chicago 
with  his  family  in  1816,  when  the  fort  was  rebuilt.  He  died 
in  the  fort  and  now  lies  buried  in  Graceland  Cemetery. 
Fort  Dearborn  was  abandoned  as  a military  post  in  1837, 
when  most  of  the  Indians  had  left  the  country,  and  in  1856 
gave  place  to  business  houses.  To-day  a marble  tablet 
inserted  in  the  wall  of  a warehouse  on  Michigan  Avenue, 
near  River  Street,  marks  the  spot  where  the  old  fort  stood. 
The  inscription  on  the  tablet  reads  as  follows : — 

This  building  occupies  the  site  of  old  Fort  Dearborn,  which  ex- 
tended a little  across  Michigan  Avenue  and  somewhat  into  the 
river  as  it  now  is.  The  fort  was  built  in  1803-04,  forming  our  out- 
most defense.  By  order  of  General  Hull  it  was  evacuated  August 
15,  1812,  after  its  stores  and  provisions  had  been  distributed  among 
the  Indians.  Very  soon  after,  the  Indians  attacked  and  massacred 
about  fifty  of  the  troops  and  a number  of  citizens,  including  women 
and  children,  and  next  day  burned  the  fort.  In  1816  it  was  rebuilt, 
but  after  the  Black  Hawk  War  it  went  into  gradual  disuse,  and  in 
May,  1837,  was  abandoned  by  the  army,  but  was  occupied  by  various 
government  officers  till  1857,  when  it  was  torn  down,  excepting  a 
single  building,  which  stood  upon  this  site  till  the  great  fire  of 


12 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


October  g,  1871.  At  the  suggestion  of  the  Chicago  Historical 
Society,  this  tablet  was  erected  by  W.  M.  Hoyt,  November,  1880. 

Some  of  the  original  logs  from  the  fort  may  be  seen  in 
the  museum  of  the  Chicago  Historical  Society. 

Another  relic  of  the  old  fort  is  the  Waubansia  Stone, 
now  resting  in  the  yard  of  a residence  at  674  Lincoln  Park 
Boulevard.  The  portrait  of  Waubansee,  a friendly  Indian 
chief,  is  rudely  carved  on  the  stone.  It  is  a great  granite 
bowlder  which  was  lodged  on  the  site  of  the  fort  during 
the  glacial  period.  Daniel  Webster,  in  1837,  addressed  the 
people  from  the  top  of  this  stone.  It  was  removed  to  its 
present  position  during  the  Civil  War  by  I.  N.  Arnold,  who 
was  then  president  of  the  Chicago  Historical  Society. 

Illinois  Becomes  a State.  Illinois  entered  the  Union  in 
1818,  but  the  larger  portion  of  the  population  was  at  that 
time  scattered  through  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  with 
a French  settlement  at  Peoria.  Fort  Dearborn  was  re- 
garded as  on  the  remote  frontier.  Mail  was  received  at 
the  fort  only  twice  a month  in  winter  and  once  a week  in 
summer,  being  brought  by  a man  on  horseback. 

In  1823  the  entire  property  of  Chicago  was  assessed  at 
$2,500.  Once  a year  a schooner  was  sent  by  John  Jacob 
Astor  to  exchange  supplies  for  furs.  In  1830  Chicago’s 
residences  consisted  of  only  four  cabins — one  on  the  North 
Side,  occupied  by  John  Kinzie;  one  on  the  West  Side,  occu- 
pied by  Guarie ; one  near  the  fort,  occupied  by  Ouillmette, 
from  whom  the  village  of  Wilmette  was  named,  and  one 
not  far  away,  occupied  by  Pettell. 

Chicago  Begins  to  Grow.  It  was  not  until  about  1830 
that  Chicago  really  began  to  grow.  Previous  to  that  time 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


1 ° 
1 o 

it  was  simply  a military  post  and  fur  station,  and  the  whole 
region  round  about  the  fortification  had  been  known  as 
Chicago.  In  August,  1833,  this  whole  region  contained 
only  twenty-eight  voters — twenty-eight  being  the  number 
of  votes  cast  for  the  election  of  the  first  trustees  of  the  vil- 
lage. The  country  was  infested  with  Indians;  the  Indian 
trails  leading  to  Chicago  at  that  time  being  as  numerous  as 
are  the  railroad  lines  to-day. 

The  name  Chicago  was  definitely  assigned  to  a certain 
plat  of  land,  by  maps,  in  August,  1830,  by  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  Canal  Commissioners.  The  United  States  Con- 
gress had,  in  1827,  made  a grant  of  land  to  aid  in  the  con- 
struction of  this  canal.  The  act  had  been  secured  by  the 
efforts  of  Daniel  P.  Cook,  from  whom  Cook  County  was 
named.  Chicago,  by  its  first  map,  was  bounded  by  the 
streets  now  known  as  Madison,  State,  Kinzie,  and  Halsted. 
The  highest  price  paid  for  real-estate  the  first  year  in  Chi- 
cago was  $102  (some  authorities  say  $114),  for  which  two 
lots  were  sold,  the  average  being  much  less.  These  lots 
were  3 and  4 (160  feet  front)  on  the  southwest  corner  of 
Lake  and  Market  Streets.  They  are  now  worth  about 
$500,000.  In  1831  there  were  twelve  families  in  Chicago. 
Cook  County  was  incorporated  by  the  state  legislature  Jan- 
uary 15,  1831. 

In  1832  the  taxes  amounted  to  nearly  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars.  With  twelve  dollars  of  this  sum  Chicago’s  first 
public  building — a pound  for  stray  cattle — was  constructed. 
Clark  Street  was  at  that  time  the  main  street  in  the  settle- 
ment. The  lot  on  which  the  Chicago  Opera  House  now 
stands  was  sold  that  year  for  sixty-one  dollars. 


14 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


In  July,  1833,  a meeting  of  citizens  voted  twelve  to  one 
(the  total  vote)  to  incorporate  the  town  of  Chicago,  agree- 
able to  the  statute  for  that  purpose. 

August  10th,  following,  at  the  house  of  Mark  Beaubien 
(called  the  Sauganash  Tavern  and  standing  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  Lake  and  Canal  Streets),  the  first  trustees  were 
elected,  twenty-eight  votes  being  polled. 

In  a few  months  after  this  the  influx  of  buyers  from  the 
East  was  so  great  that  temporary  structures  had  to  be 
erected  for  housing  them.  Chicago  was  having  its  first 
“boom.” 

In  1834  the  population  was  about  two  thousand.  Four 
years  later  it  had  more  than  doubled,  and  since  that  time 
the  rapid  increase  has  been  the  marvel  of  the  civilized  world. 

An  incident  which  occurred  in  October,  1834,  is  worth 
recording.  On  the  morning  of  the  4th  a large  black  bear 
was  seen  in  the  strip  of  woods  existing  at  that  time  south 
of  Madison  Street.  The  men  seized  their  guns  and  made 
for  the  woods,  where  the  bear  was  soon  found  and  killed, 
at  the  point  where  LaSalle  and  Adams  Streets  cross.  But 
the  hunting-fever  was  up,  and  instead  of  returning  to  their 
homes  the  men  organized  a systematic  wolf-hunt,  which 
resulted  in  the  killing  of  twenty  wolves  in  one  day,  all 
within  the  limits  of  the  present  great  metropolis.  The 
howling  of  wolves  at  night  within  the  city  limits  is  reported 
as  late  as  1838. 

Causes  of  Chicago’s  Growth.  The  city  obtained  its 
first  charter  March  4,  1837,  when  its  population  was  said 
to  be  4,149.  W.  B.  Ogden,  a Democrat,  was  the  first  Mayor 
of  Chicago,  elected  May  2,  1837.  The  area  of  the  city  at 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


15 


that  time  was  10.7  square  miles;  to-day  it  is  190.6  square 
miles,  besides  76.5  square  miles  of  water  area  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  city  harbor  and  127.5  more  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Sanitary  District.  The  total  area  of 
rivers,  canals,  slips,  and  lakes  within  the  limits  of  the  city 
is  4,215.21  acres,  or  6.59  square  miles,  of  which  652.30  acres 
are  comprised  in  the  Chicago  River  and  3,562.91  in  the 
Calumet  River. 

The  distance  from  the  northern  limits  of  the  city  to  the 
southern  is  now  26  miles.  The  line  of  lake  shore  from  the 
city  limits  on  the  north  to  the  Indiana  state  line  is  25.5  miles. 
The  distance  from  the  lake  to  the  most  remote  western 
boundary  is  14.5  miles.  The  population  is  now  about 
2,250,000. 

At  the  time  of  Chicago’s  birth  the  eyes  of  all  people  in 
the  East  were  turned  toward  the  rich  and  ever-inviting 
prairies  of  Illinois  and  the  West.  The  constant  influx  of 
Europeans  on  the  Atlantic  coast  also  demanded  an  outlet 
westward,  and  the  ambitious  young  men  of  the  Eastern 
States  saw  in  the  great  western  country  a most  inviting 
field  for  their  activities.  With  them  came  the  steam  rail- 
way, and  shortly  afterward  the  electric  telegraph,  the  elec- 
tric light,  and  the  numerous  labor-saving  machines,  which 
gave  a tremendous  impulse  to  agriculture  and  manufactures 
in  all  the  states.  These  were  the  chief  causes  which  led  to 
the  settlement  and  growth  of  all  the  Central  West. 

Its  Geographical  Location.  But  Chicago  Avas  not  only 
born  at  an  auspicious  time ; its  geographical  location  was 
such  that  its  growth  was  as  inevitable  as  its  birth.  Although 
the  immediate  conditions  and  environment  were  most  un- 


16 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


favorable,  the  city  was  not  destined  to  be  one  of  local 
limitations.  In  spite  of  adverse  conditions  the  great  North- 
west demanded  a metropolis  at  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan, 
and  Chicago  had  to  meet  the  demand.  The  narrow,  slug- 
gish stream  which  emptied  into  the  lake  at  this  point,  though 
insignificant  in  itself,  and  with  a scarcely  perceptible  current, 
yet  offered  a fine  harbor  for  the  vast  shipping  of  the  lakes, 
and  the  products  of  all  the  Northwest  had  to  be  brought  to 
this  point  for  shipment  to  the  East. 

Thus  as  the  people  moved  westward  and  opened  up  the 
great  industries  and  cultivated  the  millions  of  acres  of  the 
richest  land  in  the  world,  it  was  inevitable  that  the  metrop- 
olis of  the  West  should  have  its  birth,  and  should  develop 
with  a rapidity  in  keeping  with  the  rapid  flow  of  population 
into  the  whole  Northwest. 

The  First  Railroad.  The  Galena  and  Chicago  Union 
Railroad,  now  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern,  was  the  first 
railroad  constructed  out  of  Chicago.  This  was  chartered 
January  16,  1836.  Galena  at  that  time  was  a more  im- 
portant town  than  Chicago,  and  therefore  its  name  came 
first  in  the  charter.  The  road  was  constructed  to  connect 
Chicago  with  the  lead  mines  at  Galena.  Its  capital  stock 
was  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  the  company  build- 
ing it  was  authorized  to  operate  it  “by  animal  or  steam 
power.”  The  rails  were  of  wood,  with  thin  straps  of  iron 
laid  over  them,  making  what  was  called  a “strap  rail.”  The 
first  locomotive  of  the  road,  called  “The  Pioneer,”  arrived 
at  Chicago  on  October  10,  1848,  nearly  thirteen  years  after 
Tie  charter  was  obtained. 

During  this  interval  there  was  a serious  check  to  the 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


1? 

prosperity  of  Chicago.  The  land  boom  had  been  overdone 
in  1837,  and  the  city  was  practically  bankrupt  for  five  years. 
The  same  conditions  existed  throughout  the  state,  and  to 
some  extent  in  all  the  states.  Work  on  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  Canal  was  abandoned  for  a time,  and  Chicago 
waited  for  its  new  life. 

This  came  with  the  shipment  of  cattle  and  wheat  to  the 
Eastern  States.  In  1838  78  bushels  of  wheat  were  shipped 
eastward;  in  1839  more  than  3,000  bushels  were  exported; 
in  1840,  10,000  bushels;  in  1841.  40,000  bushels;  in  1842, 
nearly  600,000  bushels.  In  1848,  before  the  first  railroad 
was  in  operation  or  the  canal  was  completed,  Chicago  was 
exporting  2,250,000  bushels  of  grain  in  a year;  in  1853, 
6,500,000;  in  1854,  nearly  11,000,000.  Since  then  there  has 
been  a steady  increase,  until  in  1909  the  enormous  amount 
of  183,068,318  bushels  of  grain  passed  through  Chicago  to 
eastern  points. 

In  1850  the  Galena  and  Chicago  Union  Railroad  was 
completed  as  far  as  Elgin.  In  1853  this  road  paid  a divi- 
dend of  eleven  per  cent.  The  road  and  the  canal  were  by 
this  time  recognized  as  important  agencies  in  the  develop- 
ment of  Chicago.  The  population  of  the  city  was  trebled 
in  six  years  after  the  opening  of  the  canal.  Other  railroads 
were  constructed,  and,  of  necessity,  terminated  in  Chicago, 
which  to-day  is  the  largest  railroad  center  in  the  world. 

The  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal.  The  construction  of 
a canal  which  should  connect  the  waters  of  Lake  Michigan 
with  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  was  first 
projected  in  1810.  Such  a canal  had  been  suggested  by 
Louis  Joliet  in  1673.  In  1814,  four  years  before  Illinois 


18 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


became  a state,  the  Indians  readily  granted  a strip  of  land 
ten  miles  wide  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Illinois  River,  for 
a public  highway  or  canal  to  unite  the  eastern  waters  with 
the  western. 

In  1822  Congress  granted  to  Illinois  the  right  of  way 
across  the  public  lands  from  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan  to 
LaSalle,  a distance  of  about  one  hundred  miles,  for  canal 
purposes,  and  in  1827  donated  to  the  state  a quantity  of 
land  “equal  to  one-half  of  five  sections  in  width  (about 
ninety  feet),  on  each  side  of  the  canal,  reserving  each 
alternate  section  to  the  United  States  from  one  end  of  the 
canal  to  the  other.”  The  state  legislature  passed  the  canal 
bill  in  1823. 

The  first  ground  was  broken  in  the  construction  of  the 
canal,  at  Lockport  and  at  Bridgeport,  July  4,  1836.  This 
was  a great  day  for  Chicago.  By  January  1,  1839,  $1,400,- 
000  had  been  expended  in  work  on  the  canal.  In  1841  the 
work  was  stopped,  on  account  of  hard  times,  but  was  later 
resumed,  and  finished  in  April,  1848,  at  an  entire  expense 
of  $6,170,226. 

In  1865  the  City  Council  of  Chicago  donated  $2,500,000 
to  deepen  the  canal  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  the  current 
and  disposing  of  the  sewage  of  the  city.  This  work  was 
finished  in  1871.  The  state  legislature  refunded  the  money 
to  the  city  after  the  great  fire  of  1871. 

The  Drainage  of  the  City  was  still  unsatisfactory,  and 
the  people  of  Chicago  had  a vital  problem  to  solve,  which 
seemed  to  present  an  almost  insurmountable  difficulty. 

The  Chicago  River  is  the  chief  outlet  for  all  the  sewage 
of  the  city,  and  as  there  never  was  sufficient  current  to  carry 


THE  HISTORY  OE  CHICAGO 


19 


this  sewage  away  into  the  lake,  the  water  of  the  river,  in 
time,  became  a menace  to  health,  to  say  nothing  of  its 
offense  to  sight  and  smell.  Unless  some  relief  could  be 
obtained  it  seemed  inevitable  that  the  people  must  either 
die  from  poison  or  move  away.  But  the  people  of  Chicago 
have  always  been  an  indomitable  class.  The  river  had  to 
be  changed  in  some  way  from  a filthy  pool  to  a live,  running 
stream,  and  they  set  out  to  accomplish  this. 

It  was  effected,  in  a measure,  by  erecting  an  immense 
steam-pump  at  the  entrance  of  the  canal  and  pumping  the 
water  of  the  river  into  the  canal,  thus  giving  the  river  a 
current  away  from  its  mouth,  which  often  seemed  a mystery 
to  strangers  crossing  it.  Later,  the  deepening  of  the  canal 
so  that  the  water  would  flow  into  it  naturally  and  be  carried 
down  the  Illinois  River,  and  into  the  Mississippi,  gave 
further  relief. 

The  Drainage  Canal.  But  all  this  did  not  meet  the 
necessities  of  the  case,  and  a still  greater  undertaking  was 
planned  in  the  construction  of  the  great  Drainage  Canal — - 
the  natural  development  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal. 

The  first  ground  was  broken,  in  connection  with  this 
work,  on  “Shovel  Day,”  September  3,  1892.  The  lake  water 
was  first  turned  into  the  canal  January  2,  1900,  and  the 
canal  was  filled  in  thirteen  days.  The  formal  opening  was 
on  January  17,  1900. 

The  Drainage  Canal  is  fourteen  feet  below  the  water  of 
Lake  Michigan  and  has  a current  varying  from  one  and  a 
quarter  to  one  and  nine-tenths  miles  an  hour.  The  canal,  by 
law,  extends  from  Lake  Street  via  the  South  Branch  to  Joliet. 
The  length  of  the  main  channel  is  28.05  miles;  of  the  river 


20 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


from  Lake  to  Robey  Streets  6 miles ; of  the  river  diversion 
channel,  13  miles.  It  is  110  to  202  feet  wide  at  the  bottom 
and  198  to  290  at  the  top.  Its  discharges  300,000  cubic  feet 
of  water  a minute.  The  total  amount  of  excavation  is 
43,478,659  cubic  yards.  The  whole  volume  of  spoil  (earth 
and  rock)  if  deposited  in  Lake  Michigan  in  forty  feet  of 
water  would  make  an  island  one  mile  square,  with  its 
surface  twelve  feet  above  the  water  line.  The  canal  is  large 
enough  for  ships  of  light  draft  to  navigate,  and  will  no  doubt 
ultimately  be  used  for  that  purpose.  The  minimum  depth 
of  water  in  the  main  channel  is  twenty-two  feet. 

Across  the  main  channel  at  Western  Avenue  an  eight- 
track  railroad  bridge  is  being  constructed  which  will  cost 
$450,000,  and  is  the  largest  bridge  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 

This  canal  carries  off  all  the  pollutions  of  the  Chicago 
River,  as  well  as  most  of  the  impurities  which  find  their 
way  into  the  lake  north  and  south  of  the  river.  The  im- 
proved drainage  of  the  city  has  greatly  improved  the 
quality  of  the  water  from  the  lake,  and  also  nearly  wiped 
out  the  fatal  typhoid  fever  once  prevalent  at  certain  seasons. 

The  Sanitary  District,  as  the  drainage  district  of  Chicago 
is  called,  was  organized  under  an  act  of  the  legislature 
passed  in  1889.  It  embraces  358  square  miles,  including  the 
whole  of  the  city  and  a large  portion  of  the  county.  This 
district  is  under  the  control  of  a board  of  nine  trustees, 
elected  by  the  voters  of  the  district  for  a period  of  four 
years,  and  is  a city  corporation  with  power  to  borrow  money 
within  certain  limitations.  This  board  has  power  to  levy 
and  collect  taxes,  and  has  already  spent  over  $59,000,000  in 
the  construction  and  maintenance  of  the  canal,  including 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


21 


right  of  way.  It  has  built,  three  miles  north  of  Joliet,  at  a 
cost  of  $3,000,000,  a water-power  plant  capable  of  an  elec- 
trical development  of  32,000  horsepower. 

The  North  Shore  Channel.  In  1909  the  construction  of 
the  North  Shore  channel  was  begun.  This  channel  is  to 
extend  from  the  lake  at  Wilmette  to  the  North  Branch,  a 
distance  of  8.5  miles.  It  is  to  be  14  feet  deep  and  have  a 
flow  of  1,000  cubic  feet  per  second.  The  right  of  way  for 
this  channel  cost  $1,203,000,  the  construction  $1,600,000, 
making  a total  of  $2,803,000.  The  purpose  is  not  only  to 
furnish  drainage  for  the  North  Shore,  but  also  to  dilute  the 
sewage  of  the  North  Branch. 

History  of  Chicago’s  Water  Supply.  The  first  system- 
atic supply  of  water  to  the  city  was  obtained  from  the 
Chicago  Hydraulic  Company,  a private  corporation  char- 
tered in  January,  1836.  For  two  years  previous  a partial 
supply  had  been  obtained  from  a well  which  the  town 
trustees  had  dug  at  an  expense  of  $95.50.  This  well  was 
located  where  Cass  and  Michigan  Streets  intersect. 

In  1840  the  Chicago  Hydraulic  Company  built  a reservoir 
at  the  corner  of  Lake  Street  and  Michigan  Avenue,  25  feet 
square  and  8 feet  deep,  and  erected  a 25-horsepower  engine, 
by  which  water  was  pumped  into  the  reservoir  from  the 
lake,  through  an  iron  pipe  extending  into  the  lake  about  150 
feet.  Some  two  miles  of  wooden  mains  served  to  supply 
about  one-fifth  of  the  city  with  water.  The  rest  was  sup- 
plied by  wells  or  by  cartage  from  the  lake. 

The  city  at  this  time  included  about  ten  and  a half  square 
miles,  and  was  bounded  by  the  lake  on  the  east,  Center 
Avenue  to  LaSalle  Avenue  and  North  Avenue  on  the  north, 


22 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Wood  Street  on  the  west,  and  Twenty-second  Street  on  the 
south. 

In  1851  the  city  bought  the  rights  and  franchises  of  the 
Chicago  Hydraulic  Company,  and  municipal  ownership  of 
the  waterworks  has  proved  both  popular  and  profitable  since 
1852. 

The  Chicago  Avenue  pumping-station  was  at  once  con- 
structed. A wooden  pipe  30  inches  in  diameter  was  extended 
into  the  lake,  and  a pumping-engine  with  a capacity  of 
8,000,000  gallons  daily  was  installed. 

In  1856,  the  area  of  the  city  having  again  been  enlarged, 
a second  engine  was  installed,  with  a capacity  of  13,000,000 
gallons  daily. 

In  1863  another  considerable  enlargement  of  the  city  was 
made,  and  the  problem  of  having  a pure  water  supply  for 
the  city  was  not  easily  solved,  but  Chicago  enterprise  seems 
to  be  equal  to  any  emergency,  and  it  was  in  this  case.  Chi- 
cago was  now  using  nearly  7,000,000  gallons  of  water  daily. 

Owing  to  the  pollution  of  the  lake  water  near  the  shore,  it 
became  necessary  to  carry  water,  for  drinking  purposes  at 
least,  from  a point  farther  out  in  the  lake.  Therefore  the 
project  was  formed  by  E.  S.  Chesbrough,  the  city  engineer 
at  that  time,  of  constructing  a tunnel  under  the  lake.  A 
guide-book  of  Chicago  says  that  “when  the  work  was  con- 
ceived the  whole  civilized  world  was  awed  by  the  magnitude 
of  the  project.’’ 

Work  on  this  tunnel  was  begun  on  March  17,  1864,  and 
completed  December  6,  1866,  at  an  expense  of  $457,875. 
This  was  the  first  tunnel  of  its  kind  built  in  the  United 
States  for  a water  supply. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


23 


On  New  Year’s  Day,  1866,  tunneling  from  the  bottom  of 
the  shaft  toward  the  shore  was  begun.  At  that  time  the 
crew  from  the  shore  had  gone  4,815  feet  out.  On  Saturday, 
November  24th,  it  was  announced  to  the  world  that  the  two 
sections  were  within  an  inch  of  meeting,  and  the  doubting 
world  was  now  filled  with  admiration  and  Chicago  with  joy 
over  the  happy  result. 

The  final  task  of  removing  this  last  thin  wall  of  clay  was 
performed  with  great  ceremony,  the  Mayor,  members  of 
the  Council,  and  Commissioner  of  Public  Works  all  at- 
tending. 

There  was  a great  deal  more  to  be  done  before  the  water 
could  flow  through,  but  it  was  mere  incidental  work  and  was 
not  attended  by  any  danger  or  risk. 

The  next  year  a third  pumping-engine,  with  a capacity  of 
18,000,000  gallons,  was  erected  at  the  Chicago  Avenue 
station. 

The  Two-mile  Crib.  At  the  outer  end  of  the  tunnel  was 
built  what  is  now  called  the  Two-mile  Crib.  This  was 
completed  in  1865.  It  consists  of  a solid  structure  of  iron 
and  heavy  timber,  40  feet  high  and  90  feet  in  diameter, 
nearly  as  la  rge  as  the  Palmer  House,  in  the  center  of  which 
is  an  iron  cylinder  9 feet  in  diameter,  which  is  sunk  to  a 
depth  of  31  feet  below  the  bottom  of  the  lake,  the  water  of 
the  lake  being  33  feet  deep.  This  crib  contains  750,000  feet 
of  lumber,  150  tons  of  iron  bolts,  and  is  filled  with  4,500 
tons  of  stone. 

The  crib  was  built  on  shore  and  launched  much  as  any 
sea-going  vessel  would  be  launched. 

On  the  top  of  this  crib  live  the  superintendent  and  his 


24 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


family,  but  their  residence  is  by  no  means  a lonely  one,  for 
it  is  daily  visited  by  fishermen  and  others.  The  round-trip 
fare  by  steamer  from  the  lake  front  is  twenty-five  cents. 

From  the  bottom  of  the  crib,  66  feet  below  the  level  of 
the  shore,  two  tunnels  have  been  built,  one  5 feet  in  diam- 
eter, the  other  7.  The  second  tunnel  was  completed  in  1874. 

The  five- foot  tunnel  connects  with  pumping-works  on 
Chicago  Avenue,  and  the  larger  one,  continued  westward 
three  miles  under  the  city,  connects  with  pumping-works  at 
the  corner  of  Blue  Island  and  Ashland  Avenues.  This  also 
has  seventeen  large  cisterns  along  its  line  for  use  in  case  of 
emergency.  Its  complete  length  is  31,490  feet. 

These  two  tunnels  cost  $1,500,000.  They  have  a capacity 
of  150,000,000  gallons.  The  main  pumping-works  on  Chi- 
cago Avenue  draw  water  from  a well  at  the  end  of  the 
tunnel  and  force  it  up  into  an  immense  tower,  from  which 
it  is  distributed  throughout  the  city  in  mains.  These 
engines  have  a daily  average  of  50,000,000  gallons,  with  a 
capacity  of  65,000,000  gallons.  One  of  the  four  engines, 
which  pumps  the  water  from  the  larger  tunnel  and  dis- 
tributes it  to  the  city,  is  the  largest  in  the  world.  It  was 
built  at  an  expense  of  $200,000.  At  each  stroke  it  pumps 
2,750  gallons  of  water.  It  is  of  1,200  horsepower,  with  a 
fly-wheel  26  feet  in  diameter. 

But,  as  the  city  grew,  a larger  quantity  of  water  was 
needed ; also  the  water  became  more  or  less  polluted  even 
two  miles  from  the  shore;  therefore  two  additional  engines 
were  put  into  operation  in  1884,  and  two  more  in  1887, 
making  the  nominal  pumping  capacity  of  all  engines  com- 
bined 159,000,000  gallons  daily. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


25 


The  Four-mile  Crib.  A second  crib  was  begun  in  1888, 
four  miles  from  the  shore  eastward  from  Peck  Court,  and  a 
tunnel  eight  feet  in  diameter  was  connected  with  this  crib 
to  supply  a new  station  at  Fourteenth  Street  and  Indiana 
Avenue  and  another  at  Harrison  Street  between  Desplaines 
and  Halsted  Streets. 

The  towns  of  Lake  View,  Jefferson,  Lake,  and  Hyde 
Park  were  annexed  to  the  city  in  1889.  These  towns,  ex- 
cept Jefferson,  had  each  its  own  system  of  waterworks. 
Lake  View  obtained  its  water  through  iron  pipes  about  2,000 
feet  long.  A two-mile  crib,  with  a six-foot  water-tunnel, 
was  completed  in  1896.  The  Hyde  Park  and  Lake  pump- 
ing-stations were  combined  after  annexation,  and  since  1894 
have  obtained  their  water  through  a tunnel  ending  two  miles 
from  shore. 

The  Carter  H.  Harrison  Crib  was  completed  in  1899.  A 
tunnel  extends  southwesterly  from  this  crib  to  a shaft  at  the 
foot  of  Oak  Street.  Its  length  is  14,033  feet,  with  an  in- 
ternal diameter  of  10  feet.  The  tunnel  and  crib  cost 
$590,000.  The  crib  is  sunk  in  35  feet  of  water,  the  outside 
diameter  being  112  feet,  with  a well  in  the  center,  62  feet  in 
diameter.  Within  the  well  two  intake-shafts  are  sunk,  each 
about  100  feet  deep. 

The  Edward  F.  Dunne  Crib  is  now  being  constructed. 

Pumping-Stations.  There  are  now  eleven  pumping- 
stations,  and  three  others  are  under  way.  Also,  some 
changes  in  and  additions  to  those  now  in  use  have  already 
been  authorized. 

The  Southzoest  Land  and  Lake  Tunnel  System  comprises 
a new  intake  crib  adjacent  to  the  Sixty-eighth  Street  crib, 


26 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


sixteen  miles  of  water  tunnels,  and  three  new  pumping- 
stations,  each  with  a maximum  daily  capacity  of  100,000,000 
gallons. 

The  First  Schools  in  Chicago.  Previous  to  1844,  sixty- 
five  years  ago,  the  city  did  not  own  a single  school  building, 
and  not  until  1856  was  there  any  high  school.  In  the  fall  of 
1843  the  Chicago  Female  Seminary  was  opened  on  Clark 
Street,  between  Madison  and  Monroe,  by  Dr.  Abner  W. 
Henderson. 

In  1844  the  University  of  St.  Mary’s  of  the  Lake  was 
founded  by  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  under  the  imme- 
diate direction  of  Bishop  William  Quarter.  This  school  was 
opened  in  1846  in  St.  Mary’s  Church,  which  stood  at  the 
corner  of  Michigan  Avenue  and  Madison  Street.  In  1867 
this  institution  was  abandoned  and  the  building  which  it 
occupied  was  given  up  to  the  St.  Joseph  Orphan  Asylum. 

Several  private  and  semi-public  schools  had  been  taught 
in  previous  years,  and  money  had  been  appropriated  from 
the  school  fund  in  1834  to  aid  in  maintaining  a school  in 
the  Presbyterian  Church  which  stood  on  the  west  side  of 
Clark  Street  between  Lake  and  Randolph.  This  school  was 
taught  by  Miss  Eliza  Chappel,  who  that  year  married 
Jeremiah  Porter,  the  first  pastor  of  a church  in  Chicago. 
He  had  organized  the  first  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  fort 
the  year  before.  The  public  meetings  of  the  society  were 
held  over  Peck’s  store,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Lake  and 
Water  Streets. 

A school  in  the  Baptist  Church  on  Water  Street,  near 
Franklin,  the  same  year,  was  called  a public  school;  also,  in 
1835,  a school  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  was  called  a 


THE  HISTOBY  OF  CHICAGO 


27 


public  school.  There  were  seven  schools,  public  and  private, 
in  the  town  that  year. 

When  Chicago  became  a city,  in  1837,  the  members  of  the 
Common  Council  were  made  Commissioners  of  Schools  for 
the  city.  They  elected  ten  School  Inspectors. 

In  1839  the  legislature  passed  a special  act  which  placed 
the  schools  on  a permanent  and  self-supporting  basis.  In 
November,  1840,  free  public  schools  were  permanently 
established  and  a Board  of  Inspectors  was  organized.  The 
salary  of  each  of  the  four  male  teachers  employed  that  year 
was  $33.33  a month. 

In  1844  the  first  public-school  house  was  erected,  on  Mad- 
ison Street,  between  Dearborn  and  State,  and  this  building 
was  standing  there  when  the  great  fire  of  1871  consumed  all 
that  part  of  the  city. 

In  1846  there  were  three  male  teachers  and  six  female 
teachers;  in  1851  four  male  teachers  and  twenty  female 
teachers. 

The  Great  Fire  of  1871.  In  1839  Chicago  had  its  first 
big  fire,  the  property  loss  being  about  $75,000.  Ten  years 
later  a great  storm  and  flood  destroyed  over  $100,000  of 
property  in  wharves,  vessels,  etc. 

No  event  in  the  history  of  Chicago  has  been  more  momen- 
tous than  that  of  the  great  fire  of  1871,  which  swept  away 
over  $186,000,000  of  property  and  paralyzed  for  a time  tne 
very  life  of  the  city.  The  total  value  of  all  the  property  in 
the  city  at  that  time  was  only  about  $600,000,000. 

The  summer  and  fall  before  the  fire  had  been  unusually 
dry  and  warm,  transforming  wooden  structures  of  the  city 
into  tinder,  making  it  almost  impossible  to  check  the  flames. 


28 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


This  was  undoubtedly  the  reason  why  the  destruction  of 
property  was  so  great. 

The  fire  was  started  by  the  overturning  of  a lamp  by  a 
woman  who  was  milking  a cow,  on  the  evening  of  Sunday, 
October  8,  1871.  A strong  southwest  wind  was  blowing,  and 
the  flames  spread  with  startling  rapidity. 

The  fire  began  in  the  rear  of  137  De  Koven  Street,  near 
Clinton,  and  before  it  was  subdued  had  swept  eastward  and 
northward  to  Fullerton  Avenue,  four  miles  along  the  lake 
front,  covering  an  area  variously  stated  as  from  1,687  to 
2,400  acres.  About  seventy  thousand  people,  nearly  one- 
fourth  of  the  total  population,  were  rendered  homeless,  and 
17,450  buildings  were  consumed  within  two  days.  Even 
stone  buildings  crumbled  mysteriously,  sometimes  even  be- 
fore the  fire  reached  them.  Flames  would  break  out  in 
places  a block  or  two  away  from  the  real  fire.  Thousands 
of  people  were  driven  by  the  flames  into  the  lake,  and  other 
thousands  to  the  prairie  on  the  west.  The  city  waterworks, 
almost  a mile  north  of  the  river,  were  among  the  first  build- 
ings on  the  North  Side  to  ignite.  Thus  while  people  were 
gazing  southward  at  the  burning  city,  they  were  astonished 
to  discover  that  the  waterworks  had  suddenly  begun  to  burn 
in  their  rear.  The  glare  of  the  flames  was  said  to  be  visible 
a hundred  and  fifty  miles  away. 

At  first  Chicago  seemed  to  be  ruined  forever  by  this  dire 
disaster ; the  old  settlers  were  broken-hearted.  But  the  site 
was  the  same  as  at  first,  and  still  possessed  all  its  natural 
advantages  for  the  building  of  a great  metropolis.  The  vast 
Northwest  still  lay  open,  with  its  immense  fields  of  grain 
and  herds  of  cattle.  The  lake  was  still  there,  with  its  broad 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


29 


expanse  of  waters  inviting  the  commerce  of  the  nation;  and 
the  river  remained,  with  its  improved  harbor  and  docks. 

The  world  outside  looked  on  and  saw  the  situation.  Capi- 
tal at  once  came  to  the  rescue,  and  a new  city  began  to  rise 
from  the  ashes  of  its  former  self;  the  new  buildings  con- 
structed were  more  elaborate  and  more  expensive  than  those 
which  had  been  burned.  In  two  years  there  was  a new  city 
in  full  dress,  and  the  fire  proved,  after  all,  a blessing  instead 
of  a curse.  In  one  year  eighty  thousand  feet  of  frontage 
which  had  been  burned  in  the  South  Division  was  more  than 
half  rebuilt,  at  a valuation  of  $32,154,700. 

The  loss  of  life  by  flames  and  exposure  was  large — ac- 
cording to  some  estimates  over  two  hundred.  The  property 
loss  was  $186,000,000,  of  which  $53,000,000  represents  the 
loss  in  buildings,  $58,000,000  that  in  personal  effects,  and 
the  balance  that  in  stocks,  produce,  and  manufactured  arti- 
cles of  every  description. 

The  amount  of  insurance  was  $100,225,000,  not  more  than 
$50,178,925  of  which  was  recovered. 

Contributions  for  the  relief  of  those  rendered  destitute 
coming  from  almost  every  civilized  nation,  amounted  to 
nearly  $7,000,000,  of  which  sum  England  contributed 
$500,000. 

At  137  De  Koven  Street,  set  in  the  facade  of  the  building 
now  occupying  the  spot  where  the  fire  started,  is  an  inscrip- 
tion to  commemorate  the  disaster. 

The  City’s  New  Birth.  It  is  hardly  possible  even  now 
to  appreciate  the  complete  transformation  wrought  in  Chi- 
cago by  this  destructive  conflagration.  Although  the  city 
had  been  great  before,  and  scarcely  able  itself  to  account  for 


30 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


its  rapid  growth,  the  disaster  which  befell  it  in  1871  was 
like  the  birth  of  a new  life  from  a chrysalis  state.  Up  to 
that  date  most  of  the  old  landmarks  were  still  standing;  the 
city  was  yet  in  its  swaddling  clothes,  only  thirty-seven  years 
having  passed  since  its  birth.  The  ruins  of  Fort  Dearborn 
were  still  visible  and  several  of  the  old  frame  houses  of  the 
Kinzie  period  were  standing  yet.  Comparatively  few  of  the 
streets  were  paved  outside  of  the  very  center  of  business, 
and  in  many  places  there  was  no  uniform  grading  of  side- 
walks. Residences  had  become  surrounded  by  business 
structures  and  in  many  blocks  near  the  present  loop  district 
there  were  numerous  vacant  lots.  There  was  only  one  high 
school  in  the  city,  and  that  was  west  of  the  river.  The 
leading  grammar  school  stood  on  Madison  Street  near  the 
present  site  of  the  Tribune  Building;  it  had  been  con- 
structed in  1845.  Lake  and  Water  Streets  were  the  prin- 
cipal business  streets. 

Nothing  but  a wholesale  wiping  out  of  all  these  relics  of  a 
former  generation  could  have  effected  the  complete  trans- 
formation which  was  brought  E;bout  by  the  fire.  At  once  a 
new  city  sprang  into  existence,  covering  the  burnt  district 
of  about  three  square  miles.  In  ten  years  there  were  more 
newcomers  here  than  former  residents.  The  fire  marked  the 
adolescent  period  in  the  city’s  life.  Passing  this,  it  came 
quickly  into  its  real  vigor  of  youth  and  realized  within  itself 
its  immense  power  and  possibilities.  At  once  it  put  on  the 
habiliments  of  a maturing  cityhood.  It  now  looks  back  upon 
those  former  years  as  its  period  of  childhood — its  village 
life — and  because  of  the  great  cataclysm  through  which  it 
passed  it  may  almost  be  justified  in  dating  its  birth  from 


THE  HISTOEY  OF  CHICAGO 


31 


October  9,  1871.  This  day  is  regarded  as  a red-letter  day  in 
the  history  of  the  city. 

The  Anarchist  Riots.  Early  in  1886  serious  trouble 
began  to  be  apprehended  from  the  demand  of  labor  for  an 
eight-hour  day.  A general  strike  was  planned  for  May  1st, 
1886.  On  the  4th  of  May  a riot  at  the  McCormick  Reaper 
Works  resulted  in  the  injury  of  several  rioters. 

The  worst  element  among  the  rioters  was  composed  of 
anarchists.  A circular  was  issued  by  some  of  their  number, 
calling  their  fellows  to  arms.  A large  gathering  of  those 
who  were  advocating  disrespect  for  the  laws  was  held  on 
West  Randolph  Street,  in  Haymarket  Square.  At  this  meet- 
ing violent  language  was  used,  and  the  police  undertook  to 
disperse  the  crowd.  As  the  police  were  approaching  an 
alley  on  Desplaines  Street  a bomb  was  thrown  from  a 
group  of  anarchists  at  that  point,  killing  seven  and  wound- 
ing sixty. 

Several  of  the  leaders  were  arrested  and  brought  to  trial. 
Three  were  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  life  and  five 
to  be  hanged.  November  11,  1887,  was  the  date  fixed  for 
their  execution.  Before  the  day  arrived  one  of  the  five  had 
succeeded  in  committing  suicide  in  the  jail. 

The  excitement  on  the  day  of  execution  was  intense,  but 
no  public  disturbance  was  created,  and  since  then  the  anarch- 
ists have  caused  little  or  no  trouble  in  Chicago. 

The  World’s  Columbian  Exposition.  The  “World’s 
Fair”  of  1893  was  one  of  the  most  notable  events  in  the 
history  of  Chicago.  It  was  designed  as  a celebration  of  the 
discovery  of  America  by  Columbus,  and  was  to  have  been 
held  in  1892,  but  the  delays  caused  by  the  magnitude  of  so 


32 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


great  an  undertaking  made  it  necessary  to  postpone  the 
opening  until  May  1,  1893,  though  the  grounds  were  dedi- 
cated with  great  display  and  elaborate  ceremony  on  October 
21,  1892. 

The  site  selected  was  Jackson  Park,  about  six  miles  south 
of  the  City  Hall,  on  the  lake  shore.  This  park  was  com- 
pletely transformed  and  converted  into  an  area  especially 
suited  for  the  location  of  buildings  and  the  daily  assembling 
of  thousands  of  people. 

Great  competition  existed  between  Chicago  and  New  York 
for  the  location  of  this  great  exposition,  and  it  was  only  the 
indomitable  energy  and  determination  of  the  citizens  of 
Chicago  which  secured  the  vote  of  Congress  in  favor  of  that 
city.  Eleven  million  dollars  were  secured  by  a systematic 
canvass  for  subscriptions,  and  bonds  were  issued  for  five 
millions  more.  Thirteen  million  dollars  were  appropriated 
for  over  eighty  state  and  federal  buildings.  The  national 
government  furnished  ten  million  dollars.  There  were  sixty- 
five  thousand  separate  exhibits,  valued  at  fifteen  million 
dollars.  Contrary  to  expectations,  the  exposition  paid  all  its 
expenses.  It  was  visited  by  twenty-one  million  people. 

The  Railroad  Riots  of  1894.  During  the  financial  panic 
of  1893  workmen’s  wages  were  reduced  in  the  car-shops  at 
Pullman,  the  largest  plant  of  the  kind  in  the  world,  as  well 
as  in  most  other  shops  and  factories.  When  times  improved, 
in  1894,  the  workmen  at  Pullman  demanded  an  increase  in 
wages,  but  their  demand  was  not  granted.  A strike  was 
declared  May  11th,  and  three  thousand  workmen  stopped 
working.  For  several  weeks  vain  efforts  were  made  by  the 
strikers  to  secure  concessions  from  the  Pullman  Company. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


33 


Then  Eugene  V.  Debs,  who  was  the  head  of  the  Switchmen's 
Union,  or  the  American  Railway  Union,  ordered  a sympa- 
thetic strike.  The  men  refused  to  switch  trains  on  roads 
carrying  Pullman  cars,  and  this  affected  the  moving  of  trains 
all  over  the  country.  Great  confusion  in  business  resulted, 
mails  were  delayed,  and  business  generally  became  paralyzed. 
Cars  were  left  anywhere  and  everywhere,  and  live  freight 
perished  on  the  tracks.  The  prices  of  meats  and  vegetables 
rose  alarmingly,  and  a famine  was  threatened.  Passenger 
traffic  also  was  seriously  interfered  with. 

Chicago  was  the  storm-center,  as  it  was  the  central 
point  reached  by  all  the  trunk  lines.  Other  labor  unions 
joined  the  ranks  of  the  strikers,  and  much  violence  fol- 
lowed. Cars  were  overturned,  tracks  torn  up,  and  freight- 
cars  burned. 

This  work  of  destruction  began  in  July  and  grew  steadily 
worse.  The  railroad  managers  called  for  protection,  and  in 
Chicago  the  police  protection  was  inadequate  to  cope  with 
the  disorderly  and  violent  crowd. 

The  Governor  was  not  asked  for  help,  and  offered  none. 
But  the  national  government  was  appealed  to,  and  the  Pres- 
ident sent  fifteen  hundred  troops  to  prevent  violence  and 
protect  the  mails  in  transit  and  also  interstate  commerce, 
in  accordance  with  a provision  in  the  interstate  commerce 
act  of  Congress. 

After  several  arrests  were  made  the  riots  ended.  Mr. 
Debs  and  several  of  his  associates  were  arrested  and  im- 
prisoned for  six  months  for  obstructing  the  United  States 
mails. 

In  October,  1909,  the  Illinois  Supreme  Court  affirmed  an 


34 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


award  of  $100,000  damages  to  be  paid  by  the  city  of  Chi 
cago  to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  for  loss  of 
property  at  the  time  of  the  riot. 

Origin  of  Some  Street  Names.  The  first  residences  in 
Chicago  were  along  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  mostly 
on  the  south  side  of  it.  The  houses  all  faced  north,  which 
accounts  for  the  narrow  strip  of  land  on  the  north  side 
of  South  Water  Street.  This  strip  of  land  was  at  that 
time  called  “the  levee,”  after  that  in  St.  Louis.  The  first 
street  was  Lake,  although  what  is  now  Randolph  Street 
was  then  called  First  Street.  The  next  was  the  last  to  the 
south  for  some  time  and  was  called  Washington,  after  our 
first  President.  The  street  farthest  west  was  named  for 
President  Jefferson,  the  one  farthest  north  for  John  Kinzie, 
and  the  one  farthest  east  Dearborn,  for  General  Henry 
Dearborn.  All  east  of  Dearborn  Street  was  at  that  time  the 
property  of  the  United  States  Government. 

Cottage  Grove  Avenue  was  so  named  from  a grove  at  the 
foot  of  Thirty-fifth  Street,  in  which  was  the  residence  of 
the  late  Senator  Douglas.  The  Douglas  Monument  now 
stands  there.  Woodland  and  Groveland  parks,  and  the 
grounds  of  the  old  Chicago  University,  also  were  portions 
of  the  Douglas  estate. 

Other  street  names  worthy  of  note  are  the  following: — 

Clinton,  for  DeWitt  Clinton. 

Franklin,  for  Benjamin  Franklin. 

Wells,  for  Captain  William  Wells,  who  lost  his  life  in 
the  Dearborn  massacre. 

LaSalle,  for  the  great  explorer. 

Clark,  for  George  Rogers  Clark. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


35 


Madison,  Monroe,  Adams,  Jackson,  Van  Buren,  Harri- 
son, Quincy,  and  Taylor  for  the  Presidents  of  those  names. 

Halsted  was  named  for  a large  landholder  on  the  west 
side. 

State  Street  was  for  many  years  known  as  Vincennes 
Road. 

CHIEF  EVENTS  IN  THE  HISTORY  OF  CHICAGO 


1804 : 

ii8i2 : 

1817: 
1830: 
1831 : 

1833: 

1834: 

1836: 

1837: 

1847: 

1848 : 
1849: 
1854: 

1857: 

i860 : 
1871 : 

1873: 

1875: 

1886: 
1889: 
1892 : 

1893: 
1894: 
1898  : 
I900: 
1903: 


The  Building  of  Fort  Dearborn. 

The  Fort  Dearborn  Massacre. 

The  Savings  Bank  Crash. 

The  definite  location  of  Chicago  by  plat. 

Cook  County  organized. 

Chicago  incorporated  as  a town. 

The  great  real  estate  boom. 

Beginning  of  the  Illinois  and,  Michigan  Canal. 

Chicago  chartered  as  a city  and  first  election  held.  Financial 
panic. 

The  Great  Harbor  Convention. 

First  railroad  opened. 

Great  flood  in  Chicago  River. 

Cholera  epidemic. 

Serious  money  panic.  Destructive  fire. 

Loss  of  steamer  Lady  Elgin,  with  203  lives. 

Great  fire. 

Great  financial  panic. 

City  incorporated  under  general  law. 

Anarchist  Riots. 

Large  annexations  to  the  city. 

New  University  of  Chicago  opened.  First  elevated  roads 
built. 

World’s  Columbian  Exposition. 

Great  railroad  strike.  Another  financial  panic. 

Elevated  loop  constructed. 

Drainage  canal  opened. 

Centennial  Celebration,  The  Iroquois  Theater  fire ; 575 
lives  lost. 


GENERAL  GEOGRAPHY  OF  THE 
CHICAGO  REGION 


The  Exact  Location  of  Chicago.  The  location  of  Fort 
Dearborn  as  reported  to  the  War  Department  in  Washing- 
ton was  forty  degrees,  fifty  minutes,  one  second  north  lati- 
tude; eighty-seven  degrees,  thirty-six  minutes  west  longi- 
tude. 

Topography  of  Chicago.  Nearly  all  the  land  now  occu- 
pied by  Cook  County  was  formerly  covered  by  the  waters 
of  Lake  Michigan,  and  the  name  “Lake  Chicago”  has  been 
applied  to  it  during  that  period.  These  waters  were  the 
product  of  glacial  action,  and  united  with  the  waters  of 
Lake  Michigan  after  the  retreat  or  destruction  of  the  gla- 
cier. The  entire  stretch  of  country  from  Winnetka  on  the 
north,  extending  in  crescent  form  southwestward  through 
Glenwood  and  LaGrange,  then  southeastward  to  Glenwood 
and  Dyer,  and  then  northeastward  to  Lake  Michigan  in 
Indiana,  constitutes  what  is  called  the  Chicago  Plain,  which 
is  the  level  area  left  after  the  withdrawal  of  Lake  Chicago 
into  Lake  Michigan. 

The  greatest  width  of  this  crescent  plain  is  about  fifteen 
miles.  The  surface  of  Lake  Michigan  is  about  five  hun- 
dred and  eighty-one  feet  above  mean  tide  level,  and  the 
southwestern  boundary  of  the  plain  is  about  sixty  feet 
higher.  From  this  limit  the  surface  rises  more  or  less  regu- 
larly to  a maximum  height  of  about  two  hundred  feet  above 


36 


GEOGRAPHY' OF  THE  CHICAGO  REGION 


37 


the  lake,  presenting  a moderately  rolling  surface,  declining 
again  to  the  west  and  southwest. 

The  Valparaiso  Moraine.  This  elevated  belt  is  about 
fifteen  miles  wide,  and  from  the  fact  that  the  city  of  Val- 
paraiso, Indiana,  is  situated  on  it,  it  has  been  called  the 
Valparaiso  moraine,  as  it  is  undoubtedly  of  glacial  forma- 
tion. As  it  approaches  the  lake  north  of  Winnetka,  its  ele- 
vation decreases  and  becomes  continuous  with  the  Chicago 
Plain. 

The  Desplaines  River,  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal, 
and  the  Drainage  Canal  cut  through  this  moraine  on  the 
southwest  of  the  city  at  the  level  of  the  Chicago  Plain,  and 
furnish  the  outlet  for  the  drainage  of  the  city,  carrying  it 
off  through  the  Illinois  River  and  the  Mississippi  River  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  valley  thus  formed  between  Sum- 
mit and  Lemont  has  been  called  “the  twelve-mile  level.” 
From  Lemont  it  goes  straight  south  to  Joliet.  It  varies  in 
width  from  half  a mile  to  a mile  and  a quarter,  and  is  from 
thirty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  deep.  The  floor  of  the 
valley  is  nearly  flat,  but  the  sides  are  more  or  less  abrupt. 

The  Sag.  Following  this  valley  in  a northeasterly  di- 
rection from  Lemont  about  three  and  a half  miles,  we  come 
to  a branch,  or  tributary,  running  nearly  east,  which  is 
called  the  “Sag.”  It  reaches  as  far  as  the  village  of  Worth, 
on  the  Wabash  Railroad.  The  creek  known  as  the  Calumet 
Feeder  traverses  this  valley  of  the  Sag. 

The  Chicago  Outlet.  These  valleys  are  the  natural  out- 
let of  the  Chicago  Plain,  their  elevation  being  about  the 
same,  or  a little  less,  and  they  form  what  is  known  as  the 
Chicago  Outlet. 


38 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Mount  Forest.  The  triangular  tract  of  land  formed  by 
these  two  valleys  and  the  Chicago  Plain  has  been  given  the 
name  of  Mount  Forest.  Its  greatest  length  north  and  south 
is  four  miles;  east  and  west,  six  miles. 

Blue  Island  Ridge.  Blue  Island  is  situated  seven  miles 
west  of  the  lake  at  South  Chicago,  on  a ridge  in  the  plain 
six  miles  long  north  and  south,  and  one  mile  wide.  Its  ele- 
vation is  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  feet  above  the  surround- 
ing plain. 

Stony  Island.  Stony  Island  lies  between  this  ridge  and 
South  Chicago.  It  is  a rocky  elevation,  one  and  a quarter 
miles  from  east  to  west,  and  half  a mile  from  north  to  south. 
Its  elevation  is  about  twenty  feet  above  its  marshy  sur- 
roundings. 

Other  Elevations.  There  are  also  two  broad  elevations 
north  of  Chicago,  between  the  lake  and  the  North  Branch 
of  the  Chicago  River,  about  thirty  or  forty  feet  above  the 
lake. 

Old  Beach  Ridges.  It  is  easy  to  detect  the  various 
shore  lines  of  the  lake  as  it  used  to  be,  by  observing  the 
ridges  of  sand  and  gravel  running  parallel  with  the  plain 
and  valleys. 

Drainage.  The  great  Continental  Divide  may  be  said 
to  pass  through  this  district,  since  some  of  the  waters  flow 
eastward  into  Lake  Michigan  and  the  St.  Lawrence  system, 
and  others  flow  westward  into  the  Desplaines  River  and  the 
Mississippi  system.  The  Drainage  Canal  at  Summit  has 
partially  united  the  two  systems,  the  waters  of  Lake  Mich- 
igan now  flowing  westward  through  the  divide,  as  it  is  very 
probable  they  did  originally. 


GEOGRAPHY  OP  THE  CHICAGO  REGION 


39 


The  Chicago  River.  In  the  city  of  Chicago  and  its  im- 
mediate vicinity  the  natural  drainage  is  very  poor,  and  this 
fact  has  rendered  necessary  extensive  works  to  produce 
artificial  drainage.  The  north  and  south  branches  of  the 
Chicago  River,  whose  waters  moved  so  slowly  that  they 
could  scarcely  be  observed  to  move  at  all,  afforded  the  only 
natural  drainage  of  the  region  near  the  great  city. 

Perhaps  no  stream  in  the  whole  western  continent  has 
been  celebrated  more  extensively  in  the  press  of  the  coun- 
try than  the  Chicago  River.  And  the  reputation  thus  given 
to  it  has  not  been  especially  to  its  credit.  For  upward  of 
fifty  years  it  was  the  perpetual  byword  of  travelers  and 
newspaper  writers.  It  has  been  known  as  the  breeding- 
place  of  the  foulest  miasma,  the  filthiest  stream  to  be  found 
anywhere  in  the  land,  though  flowing  directly  through  the 
heart  of  a great  and  boastful  city. 

In  the  early  days,  before  anything  was  done  to  deepen  its 
channel  or  establish  its  banks,  the  Chicago  River  was  little 
more  than  a deep  bayou  from  the  lake,  about  a hundred 
yards  wide,  reaching  inland  perhaps  three-quarters  of  a 
mile,  with  one  arm  extending  northward  and  another  to  the 
south,  each  several  miles  long,  but  finally  vanishing  in  the 
sloughs  of  the  low  prairie  land  which  extended  many  miles 
both  north  and  south  along  the  shore  of  the  lake.  The  only 
perceptible  currents  of  this  so-called  river  were  those  caused 
by  the  winds  blowing  the  water  of  the  lake  into  it,  and  the 
return  current  when  the  winds  subsided. 

This  inlet  was  originally  about  twenty  feet  deep,  but  the 
accumulation  of  sand  had  prevented  the  entrance  of  large 
vessels  until,  by  dredging,  the  channel  was  cleared  and  deep- 


40 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


ened,  so  that  this  naturally  well-arranged  harbor  has  given 
the  very  best  of  docking  facilities  to  mills,  warehouses,  ele- 
vators, and  factories,  as  well  as  to  merchants  and  manufac- 
turers, who  by  means  of  it  are  enabled  to  place  their  goods 
on  board  vessels  for  shipment  direct  from  their  establish- 
ments, without  the  necessity  of  loading  them  on  wagons. 

At  first  the  river  was  crossed  only  by  means  of  Indian 
canoes.  After  the  departure  of  the  Indians,  the  canoes 
being  no  longer  available,  row-boats  were  constructed  to 
ferry  people  across  the  river.  The  first  ferry  was  estab- 
lished in  1829,  where  the  Lake  Street  bridge  now  is. 
Floating  bridges  were  established  in  one  or  two  places  in 
1832,  but  these  were  so  much  objected  to  by  the  vessel- 
owners,  that  drawbridges  replaced  them,  the  first  one,  span- 
ning the  river  at  Dearborn  Street,  being  built  in  1834. 

The  Clark  Street  bridge  was  first  built  in  1839.  Since 
then  the  number  of  bridges  has  been  increased  until 
there  are  to-day  sixty-nine  bridges  in  all,  besides  three  tun- 
nels which  descend  beneath  the  river.  The  bridges  were 
turned  by  hand  till  1872;  then  steam  power  was  applied  on 
the  Dearborn  Street  bridge.  Electricity  was  first  used  at 
the  Rush  Street,  Van  Buren  Street,  and  Lake  Street 
bridges  in  1895. 

The  North  Branch  of  the  Chicago  River  rises  in  the  town 
of  Northfield,  about  four  miles  west  of  Highland  Park, 
twenty-seven  miles  from  Chicago. 

The  South  Branch  has  its  origin  near  the  village  of  Sum- 
mit and  flows  northeastward,  uniting  with  the  North 
Branch  about  a mile  from  the  lake  and  with  it  forming  the 
Chicago  River.  The  opening  of  the  Drainage  Canal  in 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  THE  CHICAGO  REGION 


41 


1900  gave  all  these  waters  an  outlet  through  the  Desplaines 
River  into  the  Mississippi  system. 

An  Extensive  Harbor.  The  Chicago  River  and  its 
branches  have  been  repeatedly  dredged  and  enlarged  until 
now  they  afford  an  extensive  harbor  for  vessels,  the  South 
Branch  being  navigable  for  about  six  miles,  and  the  North 
Branch  half  as  far.  The  North  Branch  has  for  some  time 
been  rendered  more  active  by  flushing  from  the  Fullerton 
Avenue  conduit.  The  South  Branch,  which  was  made  con- 
tributory to  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  was  given 
more  life  by  the  pumping-works  at  Bridgeport,  and  thus  the 
drainage  of  the  city  was  aided  on  the  southwest. 

The  Calumet  River.  On  the  south  the  Calumet  River 
and  its  tributaries  furnish  a fair  drainage.  This  river  is 
unique  in  its  course.  It  really  has  two  outlets  into  Lake 
Michigan.  It  rises  in  the  western  part  of  Laporte  County, 
Indiana,  and  flows  westward  for  forty-five  miles  parallel 
with  the  lake  shore,  to  the  village  of  Blue  Island.  Then 
it  turns  about  northward  and  traverses  its  course  eastward 
twenty-five  miles,  at  a distance  of  only  two  or  three  miles 
from  its  westward  channel  and  empties  into  the  lake.  The 
south  channel  is  called  the  Little  Calumet  and  the  north 
channel  the  Grand  Calumet. 

The  second  outlet  of  the  river  is  at  South  Chicago,  this 
branch  striking  off  near  Hegewisch  and  flowing  northward 
between  Lake  Calumet  and  Lake  Michigan.  This  branch  is 
largely  the  result  of  dredging,  and  is  used  extensively  as  a 
harbor  for  lake  vessels,  reaching  to  Hammond,  about  four 
miles  farther  east  on  the  main  channel.  This  brings  Ham- 
mond and  Chicago  into  direct  communication  by  small 


42 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


steamers.  The  dredging  above  referred  to  has  caused  the 
flow  of  the  Grand  Calumet  westward  toward  the  South 
Chicago  outlet,  and  as  a consequence  the  original  outlet  is 
practically  closed  by  the  shore-drift  and  sand. 

The  Desplaines  River.  The  Desplaines  River  rises  in 
Racine  County,  Wisconsin,  flows  in  a slightly  southeasterly 
direction  through  Lake  County  and  the  towns  of  Wheeling, 
Maine,  Leyden,  Proviso,  Riverside,  Lyons,  and  Palos,  to 
Summit,  a distance  of  about  sixty-five  miles.  Here  it  enters 
the  valley  which  cuts  through  the  moraine  belt  at  that  point, 
continues  past  Lemont,  and  finally  empties  into  the  Illinois 
River  about  fifteen  miles  south  of  Joliet. 

The  spring  floods  sometimes  cause  the  river  to  overflow 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Riverside,  so  that  some  of  its  waters 
find  their  way  into  Lake  Michigan.  It  is  only  once  in  about 
five  or  six  years  that  the  volume  of  water  at  this  point  ex- 
seeds ten  thousand  cubic  feet  per  second ; usually  it  is  not 
more  than  six  or  seven  thousand.  The  fall  of  the  river 
above  the  Lyons  dam  averages  about  one  and  a half  feet 
per  mile.  At  Riverside  it  is  four  and  two-thirds  feet  per 
mile. 

Salt  Creek.  The  principal  tributary  of  the  Desplaines 
River  is  Salt  Creek,  which  flows  nearly  parallel  with  the  Des- 
plaines River  till  it  reaches  the  vicinity  of  Fullersburg,  when 
it  turns  abruptly  eastward  and  enters  the  Desplaines  at 
Lyons.  The  total  length  of  Salt  Creek  is  about  twenty-six 
miles. 

Hickory  Creek.  South  of  the  Desplaines  valley  numerous 
creeks  flowing  west  and  south  drain  the  marshes  in  the  mo- 
raine belt,  the  largest  of  these  being  Hickory  Creek,  in  Will 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  THE  CHICAGO  REGION 


43 


County.  This  joins  the  Desplaines  River  about  a mile  below 
Joliet. 

Lakes  and  Marshes.  The  marshes  between  South  Chi- 
cago and  Hammond  contain  several  small  lakes  or  ponds, 
the  chief  ones  being  Calumet,  Wolf,  and  George,  of  which 
Calumet  is  the  largest,  covering  about  three  square  miles. 
The  whole  region  around  is  a marsh,  but  has  been  artifi- 
cially drained  in  many  parts.  These  small  lakes  seem  to 
have  been  left  as  remnants  of  a former  submerged  section 
covering  several  thousand  acres.  The  entire  region  round 
about  is  level,  with  here  and  there  a spot  where  the  sand  has 
been  piled  higher  by  the  action  of  wind  and  waves. 

At  the  present  time  the  general  features  of  the  land 
around  Chicago  are  prairielike,  there  being  comparatively 
small  areas  covered  by  trees  or  raised  above  the  level  of  the 
plain.  There  are  picturesque  bluffs  along  the  lake  north- 
ward, and  elevated  ridges  farther  inland,  formed,  probably, 
by  the  glacial  drift  or  the  action  of  running  water  or  waves 
in  prehistoric  time. 

Originally  the  whole  region  where  Chicago  now  stands 
was  a low  marsh,  and  apparently  least  suitable  of  all  pos- 
sible sites  on  Lake  Michigan  for  the  building  of  a city.  In 
many  places  the  mud  was  so  impassable  that  signs  were  put 
up  in  the  streets,  reading,  “No  bottom  here.”  These  same 
streets  are  now  built  up  and  paved  in  the  most  magnificent 
style.  For  several  miles  to  the  south  the  land  was  actually 
covered  with  water  from  one  to  three  feet  deep  a great  por- 
tion of  each  year.  This  land,  which  was  then  not  worth  a 
dollar  an  acre,  is  now  very  valuable. 

Hove  the  Marsh  Was  Removed.  The  land  originally  was 


I 


44 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


only  seven  feet  above  Lake  Michigan,  though  about  six  hun- 
dred feet  above  sea-level.  In  1855  the  legal  level  for  build- 
ing and  paving  was  raised  seven  feet  above  the  natural  level, 
so  that  now  the  surface  is  fourteen  feet  above  the  lake.  In 
order  to  accomplish  this,  a most  remarkable  transformation 
was  effected  by  raising  the  buildings  and  filling  the  streets. 

For  ten  years,  during  this  process  of  raising  the  grade, 
there  was  little  uniformity  in  the  level  of  the  streets,  side- 
walks, and  buildings,  the  grade  having  been  raised  three 
times,  which  made  four  different  levels  observable  to  a pe- 
destrian on  any  one  of  the  streets.  The  original  prairie 
level  was  seen  in  many  vacant  lots,  and  often  with  an  early 
building  yet  standing  on  it ; above  this  would  be  the  street 
pavement  at  the  level  first  established  in  1855 ; next  above 
that  a sidewalk  conforming  to  the  grade  next  established ; 
and  contiguous  to  that  a building  and  walk  constructed  after 
the  final  grade  was  fixed.  So  that  a man  passing  along 
LaSalle  Street,  for  instance,  found  it  necessary  to  go  con- 
tinually up  and  down  flights  of  steps,  which  rendered  walk- 
ing exceedingly  unpleasant,  not  to  say  dangerous. 

Geology  of  the  Region.  Borings  through  the  drift  to 
a depth  varying  from  a few  inches  to  about  a hundred  and 
fifty  feet  reveal  first  a stratum  of  Niagara  limestone.  Be- 
neath this  are  other  formations  of  limestone,  sandstone,  and 
shale,  the  deposits  of  earlier  geologic  ages,  at  the  bottom  of 
which  is  the  Potsdam  sandstone,  the  lowest  known  rock 
formation  in  the  state. 

Niagara  Limestone.  The  thickness  of  the  Niagara  lime- 
stone varies  considerably  throughout  the  Chicago  district. 
On  the  northwest  side  of  the  city  this  rock  crops  out  in 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  THE  CHICAGO  REGION 


45 


various  places,  but  is  mostly  covered  with  clay.  Near 
Grand  and  Campbell  Avenues  are  two  quarries  where  the 
rock  is  shown  to  be  much  fractured,  and  is  used  only  for 
paving  or  rubble  foundations  and  lime.  At  the  corner  of 
Chicago  and  Western  Avenues  a well  was  sunk  in  1864  for 
the  purpose  of  procuring  petroleum,  but  only  a small  quan- 
tity was  found. 

Other  Quarries.  At  Nineteenth  and  Lincoln  Streets  is  a 
quarry  a hundred  and  seventy-five  feet  in  depth.  This  pro- 
duces limestone  with  about  fifty-four  per  cent  carbonate  of 
lime  and  forty-four  per  cent  carbonate  of  magnesia,  which 
affords  a very  strong  lime.  About  a half  mile  farther  south, 
near  the  corner  of  Robey  and  Twenty-third  Streets,  the 
rock  is  but  thinly  covered  for  several  blocks. 

Near  Bridgeport,  at  Twenty-seventh  and  Halsted  Streets, 
is  a quarry  in  which  many  fine  fossils  have  been  found. 

At  Hawthorne  is  another  quarry,  which  furnishes  only 
crushed  stone,  abounding  in  fossils. 

At  the  foot  of  Cheltenham  Place,  in  Windsor  Park,  the 
rock  crops  out  ag.ain  and  betrays  traces  of  petroleum. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  exposures  is  to  be  found  at 
Ninety-second  Street  and  Stony  Island  Avenue,  a mile  north 
of  Lake  Calumet.  This  place  is  what  is  called  Stony  Island. 
It  rises  twenty  to  twenty-five  feet  above  the  surrounding 
marshy  plain.  Two  quarries  in  this  vicinity  give  opportu- 
nity for  studying  the  character  of  the  rock  formations. 

Numerous  other  outcroppings  of,  this  rock  appear  all 
about  Chicago,  in  Cook  County  and  the  counties  adjacent. 

The  Drift.  The  loose  material  deposited  by  the  glaciers 
in  their  movement  southward  is  called  drift.  It  covers  the 


46 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


submerged  rock  like  a mantle,  and  may  be  seen  exposed 
along  the  lake  bluffs  north  of  Evanston,  along  the  Drainage 
Canal,  between  Bridgeport  and  Lemont,  and  at  the  various 
clay  pits  in  and  near  Chicago,  and  sometimes  where  exca- 
vations are  being  made  for  any  purpose,  and  along  the  road 
cuts  and  streams. 

This  drift  is  usually  a kind  of  calcareous  clay  in  which 
rock  materials  of  all  kinds  are  imbedded,  some  of  it  fine, 
and  some  large  bowlders  several  tons  in  weight.  The  pres- 
ence of  these  large  bowlders  is  taken  as  one  evidence  of  the 
glacial  origin  of  the  drift,  since  they  could  not  have  been 
carried  along  by  the  force  of  the  water  unless  frozen  in 
large  blocks  of  ice. 

Surface  of  the  Bed-rock.  If  we  could  clean  off  the  sur- 
face of  the  rock  beneath  the  drift,  we  would  reveal  an  undu- 
lating surface  of  rock,  rising  in  some  places  into  hills  of  a 
hundred  to  a hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  if  we  follow  the 
rock  surface  from  Racine,  Wisconsin,  to  the  crest  of  the 
moraine  in  Will  County,  we  shall  find  a rise  of  seven  hun- 
dred and  forty  feet  or  more. 

Changes  in  Shore-line.  From  Evanston  northward  to 
Waukegan  the  lake  was  for  many  years  gradually  encroach- 
ing upon  the  land  by  wearing  away  the  bluffs.  This  has 
been  checked  and  almost  stopped  in  recent  years  by  the 
building  of  piers  and  breakwaters.  The  average  encroach- 
ment for  many  years  was  about  three  or  four  feet  per  year, 
which  of  course  destroyed  much  valuable  property.  The 
soil  and  rock  material  thus  eaten  up  by  the  lake  was  depos- 
ited farther  south  and  appears  in  the  sand  bars  and  banks 
on  the  north  side  of  the  piers.  For  this  reason  it  is  neces- 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  THE  CHICAGO  REGION 


47 


sary  for  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago  River  to  be  dredged  occa- 
sionally to  maintain  a sufficient  channel  for  vessels  to  enter, 
Previous  to  1833,  when  improvements  were  begun  on  the 
Chicago  harbor,  the  accumulation  of  sand  at  one  time  shifted 
the  outlet  of  the  river  southward  half  a mile  to  Madison 
Street.  The  sand  bar  formed  was  then  opened  and  piers 
were  constructed  on  each  side  of  the  opening  to  prevent  it 
from  being  again  closed  by  sand.  The  north  pier  has  sev- 
eral times  been  extended  as  the  sand  became  piled  up  on  the 
north  side  of  it. 

Sand-Dunes.  At  Windsor  Park,  near  the  foot  of  Seventy- 
ninth  Street,  and  at  Dune  Park  and  Millers  in  Indiana,  may 
be  seen  sand-dunes  of  all  sizes,  constantly  undergoing 
changes  in  form  and  size,  caused  by  the  winds.  Some  of 
these  are  from  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  feet  high.  The 
beginning  is  at  the  base  of  a tree,  shrub,  or  stump,  where 
the  shelter  first  causes  the  sand  to  rest  as  it  is  being  swept 
along  by  the  wind,  and  soon  the  increasing  size  of  this  ob- 
struction presents  the  appearance  of  a mound,  and  then  of 
a hill.  Some  of  these  dunes  on  the  southeast  shore  of  Lake 
Michigan  rise  to  a height  of  from  two  hundred  to  four  hun- 
dred feet. 

As  the  wind  carries  the  sand  from  the  windward  side  to 
the  leeward,  the  location  of  the  dune  gradually  changes, 
and  some  of  them  are  now  removed  far  from  the  shore. 
After  a time,  in  favorable  localities,  these  dunes  become 
covered  with  vegetation  and  thus  are  secure  from  any  fur- 
ther inroads  from  the  wind.  Such  dunes  may  be  seen  along 
the  west  side  of  the  Blue  Island  ridge  and  between  Ham- 
mond and  Thornton. 


48 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


But  again  the  wind  may  bring  more  sand  to  be  lodged 
behind  this  vegetation,  and  for  a time  it  may  be  that  the 
trees  will  grow  no  faster  than  the  sand  is  deposited,  and  at 
last  even  the  trees  which  have  grown  upon  the  dunes  may 
again  be  buried  by  a more  rapid  deposit  of  sand.  In  time 
the  shifting  of  the  sand-dune  again  reveals  the  dead  trunks 
and  branches  of  the  trees  once  buried. 

The  Climate  of  Chicago,  though  much  maligned,  is 
favorable  to  the  growth  and  permanence  of  a great  city. 
Some  of  Chicago’s  first  settlers  are  still  here  to  testify  to  the 
healthfulness  of  Chicago’s  climate. 

The  water  of  Lake  Michigan  is  naturally  pure  and  health- 
ful, and  the  proximity  of  so  large  a body  of  water  tends  to 
prevent  the  greatest  extremes  in  the  temperature  of  the 
atmosphere,  in  both  winter  and  summer.  The  winters  are 
varied,  but  generally  not  long,  though  sometimes  very  cold. 
In  summer,  occasionally,  hot,  stifling  winds  blow  from  the 
south  for  a day  or  two. 

The  normal  temperature  for  the  year  is  48.3°.  The  high- 
est on  record  is  103°,  which  occurred  July  21,  1901;  the 
lowest  is  23°  below  zero,  which  occurred  December  24, 
1872. 

The  normal  temperature  for  the  three  months  of  Decem- 
ber, January,  and  February  taken  together  is  26° ; for  June, 
July,  and  August,  69.9°. 

The  normal  precipitation,  or  rainfall,  is  34.76. 

January  is  usually  the  coldest  month  in  Chicago,  and  in 
February  the  most  snow  falls. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


The  Duty  of  Citizens.  Every  citizen  should  feel  a per- 
sonal interest  in,  and  be  familiar  with,  the  organization  and 
conduct  of  his  own  city  government.  The  city  officials 
come  from  the  people  themselves,  and  are  sure  to  give  us 
such  a government  as  the  majority  of  the  people  desire  and 
permit.  Every  ordinance  should  be  known  and  obeyed  by 
the  people.  Good  government  can  come  only  as  a result  of 
public  desire  for  good  government,  and  indifference  or 
neglect  on  the  part  of  the  people  is  sure  to  result  in  corrup- 
tion and  miscarriage  in  the  administration. 

The  present  form  of  municipal  government  in  Chicago 
conforms  to  the  general  law  passed  by  the  legislature  in 
1874  and  accepted  by  Chicago  April  23,  1875. 

Divisions  of  the  City.  The  Chicago  River,  with  its 
North  Branch  and  South  Branch,  divides  the  city  into  three 
natural  divisions,  popularly  known  as  the  North  Side,  South 
Side,  and  West  Side. 

For  political  purposes  the  city  is  divided  into  thirty-five 
wards,  and  these  wards  are  divided  each  into  from  six  to 
fourteen  precincts  for  voting  purposes. 

The  New  City  Hall,  which  was  completed  in  1910,  is 
headquarters  for  all  departments  of  the  city  government.  It 
occupies  the  west  half  of  the  block  bounded  by  Clark,  Ran- 
dolph, LaSalle,  and  Washington  Streets.  The  County 
Courthouse  occupies  the  east  half  of  the  same  block.  The 


49 


50 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


City  Hall  has  one  more  floor  than  the  County  building,  and 
contains  335,000  more  cubic  feet,  while  its  cost  was  a trifle 
less.  The  cost  of  the  Courthouse  was  $5,000,000. 


OUTLINE  OF  CITY  GOVERNMENT 

The  various  departments  of  the  city  government  may  be 
grouped  into  branches  under  the  general  headings  of  Legis- 
lative, Executive,  and  Judicial. 

LEGISLATIVE 
Mayor  and  City  Council. 

EXECUTIVE 
Mayor  and  City  Clerk. 

Civil  Service  Commission. 

Election  Commissioners. 

Law  Department. 

Finance  Department. 

^•Police  Department. 

Detective  Bureau. 

Custodian’s  Office. 

Bureau  of  Identification. 

Bureau  of  Police  Records. 

Vehicle  Inspection  Department. 

Construction  Department. 

City  Dog-pound. 

Bureau  of  Firearms. 

T Fire  Department. 

House  of  Correction. 

Building  Department. 

- — ^Health  Department. 

Executive  Bureau. 

Bureau  of  Vital  Statistics. 

Bureau  of  Contagious  Diseases. 

Bureau  of  Laboratory  Service. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  'OF  CHICAGO 


Bureau  of  Food  Inspection. 

Bureau  of  Sanitation. 

Bureau  of  Hospital  and  Ambulance  Service. 
Inspection  Departments. 

Oil  Inspector. 

( City  Sealer. 

Boiler  Inspection  Department. 

Smoke  Inspection  Department. 

Board  of  Examiners  of  Engineers. 

Board  of  Examiners  of  Plumbers. 

Board  of  Street  Railway  Supervising  Engineers. 
Board  of  Examiners  of  Moving  Picture  Operators. 
Secretary  of  Boards  of  Examiners. 

Department  of  Public  Works. 

Bureau  of  Engineering. 

Bureau  of  Streets. 

Bureau  of  Sewers. 

Bureau  of  Water. 

Bureau  of  Maps  and  Plats. 

Bureau  of  Architecture. 

Bureau  of  Compensation. 

Accounting  Division. 

Department  of  Track  Elevation. 

Department  of  Local  Transportation. 

Board  of  Local  Improvements. 

Department  of  Electricity. 

Bureau  of  Fire-alarm-Telegraph. 

Bureau  of  Police-alarm  Telegraph. 

^ Bureau  of  Electrical  Inspection. 

- — * Bureau  of  Gas  Inspection. 

Bureau  of  Electrical  Construction  and  Maintenance. 
Board  of  Automobile  Registry. 

City  Markets. 

Pounds  and  Poundmasters. 

Bureau  of  Statistics  and  Municipal  Library. 

Bureau  of  Information  and  Publicity. 

Special  Commissions. 

Special  Park  Commission. 

City  Expenditures  Commission. 


52 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Municipal  Efficiency  Commission. 
Harbor  Commission. 

Board  of  Education. 

Public  Library. 

JUDICIAL 

Municipal  Court. 


THE  LEGISLATIVE  BRANCH 

The  Mayor  is  the  chief  executive  of  the  city  govern- 
ment. His  principal  duties  and  powers  are  to  preside  over 
meetings  of  the  City  Council ; to  approve  or  veto  the  acts  of 
the  Council ; to  appoint  and  remove  all  non-elective  heads  of 
departments,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Council;  to  see 
that  the  ordinances  of  the  city  are  faithfully  executed;  to 
exercise  the  power  of  sheriff  to  keep  the  peace.  He  may 
arrest  without  process  of  law,  and  may  release  persons  who 
have  been  imprisoned  for  violating  city  ordinances.  He 
may  veto  any  measure  passed  by  the  Council  which  pro- 
vides for  the  spending  of  money,  but  the  measure  may  be 
again  passed  by  a two-thirds  vote  of  all  the  members. 

It  is  evident  that  the  Mayor’s  responsibilities  are  very 
great,  and  his  duties  burdensome;  yet  if  he  does  nothing 
more  than  the  things  above  specified,  he  fails  to  meet  all 
the  obligations  of  his  office.  Like  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  he  stands  before  the  public  as  both  an  execu- 
tive and,  indirectly,  a legislative  officer  of  the  government. 
He  is  expected  to  be  ever  on  the  alert  to  discover  and  point 
out  the  needs  of  the  city,  and  to  recommend  measures  for 
promoting  its  general  welfare  and  the  welfare  of  all  the 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


53 


people.  He  is  therefore  largely  responsible  for  the  whole 
city  government  and  the  way  in  which  it  is  administered. 

The  Mayor  is  elected  by  the  people  once  in  four  years, 
and  his  salary  is  fixed  by  ordinance  at  $18,000. 

Secretary  to  the  Mayor.  The  Mayor  selects  his  own 
secretary,  and  in  a city  like  Chicago  it  is  necessary  that  this 
secretary  be  a man  of  sound  judgment  and  discretion,  for 
his  duties  are  more  than  those  of  a routine  character.  He  is 
a kind  of  right-hand  man  to  the  Mayor,  and  has,  himself,  an 
assistant,  who  performs  much  of  the  routine  work. 

The  City  Council  represents  the  Legislative  Branch 
of  the  city  government.  The  Mayor,  as  presiding  officer, 
is  identified  with  this  department.  The  Council  is  com- 
posed of  seventy  aldermen,  two  from  each  ward,  one  elected 
each  year  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  April,  for  a term  of  two 
years. 

The  Aldermen.  Until  1875  the  aldermen  were  the  ab- 
solute rulers  of  the  city.  The  Mayor  was  simply  the  presid- 
ing officer.  In  1875  the  departments  were  organized,  and  the 
Mayor  was  given  the  power  to  appoint  the  head  of  each 
department,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Council.  This 
placed  upon  the  Mayor  the  responsibility  in  a large  measure 
for  the  acts  of  his  appointees. 

In  1889  the  legislature  passed  what  is  known  as  the  Cities, 
Villages,  and  Towns  Act,  which  gave  to  Chicago  forty-eight 
aldermen,  two  for  each  ward.  As  the  town  of  Lake  View, 
the  village  of  Jefferson,  a portion  of  Cicero,  the  town  of 
Lake,  and  the  village  of  Hyde  Park  were  annexed  to  the  city 
in  1889,  the  territory  of  the  city,  as  well  as  its  population, 
was  so  much  enlarged  that  the  number  of  wards  was 


54 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


increased  to  thirty-four,  and  the  aldermen  to  sixty-eight. 
Shortly  after  that,  other  annexations  made  the  thirty-fifth 
ward,  and  added  two  more  aldermen,  making  seventy,  which 
is  the  number  at  the  present  time.  If  still  more  territory  is 
annexed  in  the  future,  the  number  of  wards  can  not  be 
increased,  but  the  present  ward  boundaries  must  be  read- 
justed to  include  the  new  territory. 

The  present  ward  boundaries  were  fixed  in  1901,  but  must 
soon  be  changed  and  adjusted  to  the  changed  conditions  of 
the  population,  some  wards  having  increased  in  population 
faster  than  others. 

As  a body,  the  aldermen  are  known  as  the  Common 
Council  of  the  city.  Their  regular  meetings  are  held  in  the 
council-chamber  of  the  City  Hall  every  Monday  evening. 

The  Council  is  organized  into  the  following  committees : — 
Finance;  Local  Transportation;  Judiciary;  License; 
Schools ; Gas,  Oil,  and  Electric  Light ; Streets  and  Alleys, 
South  Division ; Streets  and  Alleys,  West  Division ; Streets 
and  Alleys,  North  Division;  Building  Department;  State 
Legislation ; Harbors,  Wharves,  and  Bridges ; Special 
Assessment  and  General  Taxation;  Health  Department; 
Police  Department  and  Bridewell;  Water  Department; 
Civil  Service;  Elections;  Rules;  Street  Nomenclature;  City 
Hall  and  Public  Buildings ; Printing ; Special  Committees 
on  Track  Elevation,  Compensation,  Special  Park  Commis- 
sion, and  Public  Lands. 

The  general  duties  of  the  Council  are  indicated  by  the 
names  of  the  above  committees.  It  is  the  duty  of  the 
Council  to  enact  ordinances  for  the  government  of  the 
city,  levy  and  collect  taxes,  make  appropriations,  regulate 
licenses,  etc. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


55 


THE  EXECUTIVE  BRANCH 

The  City  Clerk.  The  chief  duties  of  the  City  Clerk  are 
to  issue  notices  to  members  of  the  City  Council  and  its  com- 
mittees, when  requested  to  do  so  ; to  attest  all  licenses  granted 
by  the  city  ordinances ; to  keep  a record  of  the  same,  and  is- 
sue a metal  plate  or  badge,  free  of  charge,  to  the  licensee, 
when  the  ordinance  requires  it ; to  record  and  preserve  the 
proceedings  of  the  Council  meetings ; and,  in  general,  to  act 
as  an  intermediary  between  tbe  Council,  the  Mayor,  and  the 
public,  for  filing,  delivering,  and  reporting  the  transactions 
of  the  Council. 

The  City  Clerk  is  an  elected  officer  of  the  city  govern- 
ment, and  holds  office  for  two  years. 

The  Civil  Service  Commission  was  created  by  an  act  of 

^ . 

the  legislature  passed  in  1895.  It  includes  three  Commis- 
sioners, appointed  by  the  Mayor.  The  Commission  employs 
a Chief  Examiner  and  other  assistants  needed.  One  Com- 
missioner is  appointed  each  year  for  a period  of  three  years. 

The  Commissioners  classify  offices  and  places  in  the  city 
service,  examine  applicants  for  employment  in  such  offices 
and  places,  certify  to  the  heads  of  departments,  as  required, 
the  names  of  those  standing  highest  on  the  list  of  eligibles, 
investigate  charges  against  employees  in  the  classified  serv- 
ice, and  remove  employees  for  cause. 

The  classified  service  includes  all  the  officers  and  places 
of  ^employment  in  the  city  government,  except  such  as  are 
elected  by  the  people  or  by  the  City  Council,  or  whose  ap- 
pointment is  subject  to  confirmation  by  the  City  Council ; 
except,  also,  Judges  and  Clerks  of  Election,  members  of 


56 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


any  Board  of  Education,  the  Superintendents  and  teachers 
of  schools,  heads  of  any  principal  department  of  the  city, 
members  of  the  Law  Department,  and  one  private  secretary 
of  the  Mayor. 

All  citizens  of  the  United  States  are  eligible  for  positions 
in  the  classified  service  with  specified  limitations  as  to  resi- 
dence, age,  health,  habits,  and  moral  character.  The  rules 
of  the  Commission  provide  that  no  person  shall  be  admitted 
to  examination  who  has  not  been  an  actual  resident  of  the 
city  for  at  least  one  year  immediately  preceding  the  date  of 
examination,  which  restriction  may  be  waived  by  the  Com- 
mission in  cases  requiring  unusual  technical  or  professional 
skill.  Names  of  persons  who  were  engaged  in  the  army  or 
navy  in  1861-65  and  honorably  discharged  are  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  list  of  eligibles,  provided  they  possess  the  neces- 
sary business  capacity  for  performing  the  duties  of  the 
office. 

The  rules  for  appointment  are  printed  for  free  distribu- 
tion, and  notices  of  examinations  are  published  in  the  daily 
papers  for  two  weeks.  The  examinations  are  usually  fair 
and  reasonable,  all  questions  on  politics  and  religion  being 
excluded.  Examiners  are  designated  by  the  Commissioners, 
but  they  must  not  all  be  of  one  political  party.  A register 
is  prepared  for  each  class  of  positions  and  the  names  of 
successful  candidates  are  entered  therein  according  to  their 
rank  in  examination. 

When  a position  in  the  classified  service  becomes  vacant, 
the  head  of  the  department  in  which  the  vacancy  occurs 
notifies  the  Civil  Service  Commission.  The  name  and  ad- 
dress is  then  given  him  of  the  candidate  standing  highest 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


57 


on  the  register  for  such  a position.  Such  candidate  is  then 
appointed  on  probation  for  a period  fixed  by  the  rules  of 
the  Commission.  If  not  discharged  by  the  head  of  the 
department  with  the  consent  of  the  Commission  before  the 
end  of  the  probation  period,  the  appointment  is  deemed  com- 
plete. The  head  of  any  department  may  make  a temporary 
appointment,  with  the  approval  of  the  Commission,  to  re- 
main in  force  not  longer  than  sixty  days,  and  only  until  a 
regular  appointment  can  be  made. 

In  the  classified  service  there  are  about  sixteen  thousand 
employees.  This  necessitates  the  examination  of  more  than 
twenty  thousand  persons.  About  seven  thousand  are  ex- 
amined each  year. 

Election  Commissioners.  The  state  law  provides  that 
three  Election  Commissioners  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
County  Court,  from  the  different  political  parties,  each  for  a 
period  of  three  years,  one  Commissioner  being  appointed 
each  year.  They  must  be  legal  voters  and  householders  re- 
siding in  the  city.  No  Commissioner  may  hold  any  other 
public  office.  The  Commissioners  may  employ  a Chief  Clerk 
and  any  other  assistants  with  the  consent  and  approval  of  the 
County  Court. 

It  is  their  duty  to  determine  the  election  precincts  and 
polling  places,  giving  each  precinct  three  hundred  voters, 
as  nearly  as  may  be;  to  provide  the  polling-booths,  ballot- 
boxes,  tally-sheets,  poll-hooks,  and  all  blanks  and  stationery 
necessary  in  an  election;  to  select  judges  and  clerks  of  elec- 
tion; to  canvass  the  returns  of  votes;  and,  in  brief,  to  have 
charge  of  everything  pertaining  to  the  registration  of 
voters  and  the  holding  of  all  elections. 


58 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS. 


Nomination  of  Candidates.  By  an  act  of  the  legislature 
which  went  into  effect  July  1,  1910,  a political  party  is  de- 
fined to  be  such  provided  it  cast  more  than  two  per  cent  of 
the  entire  vote  cast  at  last  preceding  election.  This  act  re- 
quires each  political  party  to  select  its  candidates  for  office 
at  a primary  election  (usually  called  a primary),  except 
candidates  for  electors  of  President  and  Vice  President  of 
the  United  States,  and  Trustees  of  the  University  of  Illi- 
nois. The  act  does  not  apply,  however,  to  township  and 
school  elections. 

Such  primary  election  must  be  held  on  the  second  Tues- 
day in  April  of  each  year  in  which  officers  are  to  be  voted 
for  in  the  November  following,  or  judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  the  Circuit  Court,  or  the  Superior  Court  of  Cook 
County  to  be  elected  in  June  of  the  same  year. 

Officers  to  be  voted  for  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  April  are 
to  be  nominated  at  a primary  held  on  the  last  Tuesday  in 
February  preceding;  and  officers  to  be  elected  on  the  third 
Tuesday  in  April  are  to  be  nominated  at  a primary  held  the 
second  Tuesday  in  March. 

The  name  of  no  candidate  may  be  printed  on  the  primary 
ballot  unless  a petition  for  his  nomination  has  been  filed 
from  fifteen  to  sixty  days  prior  to  the  date  of  the  primary, 
the  time  depending  upon  the  office  for  which  the  candidate 
is  to  be  nominated.  The  Secretary  of  State  then  certifies 
to  the  county  clerk  the  names  of  all  candidates  entitled  to 
appear  on  the  primary  ballot,  and  the  names  of  candidates 
must  appear  on  the  ballot  in  the  order  in  which  their  pe- 
titions were  filed  with  the  Secretary  of  State. 

An  independent  candidate  may  be  nominated,  however, 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


59 


by  securing  the  signatures  of  not  less  than  one  for  each  fifty 
persons  who  voted  at  the  next  preceding  general  election  in 
the  city,  petitioning  that  his  name  be  placed  on  the  official 
ballot. 

The  voter  is  given  a ballot,  on  which  are  printed  the  tick- 
ets of  all  the  regular  candidates.  This  ballot  he  takes  into 
a booth,  where  he  is  entirely  alone,  and  marks  the  names  of 
the  candidates  for  whom  he  wishes  to  vote.  He  then  hands 
it  to  an  officer  who  places  it  in  the  box  known  as  the  ballot 
box.  Detailed  instructions  are  given  how  to  mark  the 
ballot,  and  rules  for  the  use  of  the  ballot. 

The  polls  are  open  from  six  o’clock  in  the  morning  until 
four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon. 

The  law  permits  a voter  to  be  absent  from  his  place  of 
employment  two  hours,  without  loss  of  wages,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  voting,  provided  he  asks  for  the  privilege  prior  to 
the  day  of  election,  and  accepts  the  hours  specified  by  his 
employer. 

Voting  for  presidential  electors  and  members  of  Con- 
gress must  be  done  on  the  first  Tuesday  after  the  first  Mon- 
day in  November  in  all  the  states. 

Counting  the  Votes.  As  soon  as  the  polls  are  closed,  the 
counting  of  votes  must  begin,  and  continue  without  inter- 
ruption until  finished.  This  is  done  by  the  judges  and 
clerks  of  election.  The  County  Judge,  assisted  by  the 
Board  of  Election  Commissioners,  then  canvasses  the  re- 
turns. 

The  Law  Department  includes  the  Corporation  Coun- 
sel, the  City  Attorney,  and  the  Prosecuting  Attorney. 

The  Corporation  Counsel.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Cor- 


60 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


poration  counsel,  as  head  of  the  Law  Department,  to  con- 
duct all  the  law  business  of  the  city.  He  drafts  ordinances, 
deeds,  leases,  contracts,  or  other  papers,  when  requested  so 
to  do  by  the  Mayor,  Council,  or  any  committee  or  depart- 
ment of  the  city  government,  and  furnishes  them  with  legal 
opinions  when  asked. 

He  employs  an  attorney  to  represent  him  at  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Fire  Department,  and  this  representative  is 
also  attorney  and  assistant  for  the  Fire  Marshal.  The  Cor- 
poration Counsel  is  also  assisted  by  one  Chief  Clerk  and 
Secretary,  about  twenty  or  more  general  assistants,  one 
special  assistant  who  acts  as  attorney  for  the  Board  of  Local 
Improvements,  and  four  others  who  act  as  assistant  attor- 
neys for  the  same  Board. 

The  Corporation  Counsel  must  be  a man  of  superior  legal 
ability.  He  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor,  and  is  his  close 
adviser  in  all  technical  questions  that  arise  in  administering 
the  city  government.  He  is  the  man  to  consult  on  all  ques- 
tions pertaining  to  the  city’s  liability,  or  to  new  ordinances 
which  any  citizen  may  think  would  be  beneficial  to  the  city. 

He  has  the  power  of  appointing  and  removing  all  assist- 
ants in  the  various  law  departments  at  his  pleasure  within 
an  appropriation  for  his  office  made  annually  by  the  City 
Council. 

The  City  Attorney  is  appointed  by  the  Corporation  Coun- 
sel as  his  assistant.  His  special  duties  are  to  keep  a register 
of  all  personal  injury  suits  to  which  the  city  is  a party,  and 
to  defend  all  such  damage  suits  against  the  city,  such  as 
claims  for  damages  for  injuries  received  from  a fall  on  the 
sidewalk,  falling  buildings,  escaping  gas  in  the  street,  etc. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


61 


The  Prosecuting  Attorney.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Prose- 
cuting Attorney  to  prosecute  any  person  who  violates  an 
ordinance  of  the  city.  The  Prosecuting  Attorney  also  is 
appointed  by  the  Corporation  Counsel. 

The  Department  of  Finance.  The  City  Comptroller, 
the  City  Treasurer,  and  the  City  Collector  comprise  the 
executive  officers  of  the  Finance  Department. 

The  fiscal  year  begins  January  1st;  the  municipal  year, 
May  1st. 

The  City  Comptroller  is  the  head  of  the  department. 
He  has  “general  supervision  over  all  the  officers  of  the  city 
charged  in  any  manner  with  the  receipt,  collection,  or  dis- 
bursement of  the  city  revenues,  and  the  collection  and  re- 
turn of  such  revenues  into  the  city  treasury.”  He  has 
charge  of  all  deeds,  mortgages,  contracts,  leases,  etc.,  belong- 
ing to  the  city ; he  audits  and  settles  claims  against  the  city ; 
he  keeps  a record  of  persons  committed  to  the  House  of 
Correction,  with  fines,  etc. 

He  keeps  a record  of  appropriations ; he  makes  the  annual 
estimates  for  expenses;  he  signs  warrants  upon  the  city 
treasury,  and,  in  short,  “exercises  supervision  over  all  such 
interests  of  the  city  as,  in  any  manner,  may  concern  or  relate 
to  the  city  finances,  revenues,  and  property.”  He  also  ap- 
proves and  countersigns  all  contracts  for  work,  materials, 
or  supplies  let  by  any  officer  of  the  city  where  the  amount  of 
such  contract  exceeds  five  hundred  dollars. 

For  the  purpose  of  uniformity,  fullness,  and  easy  refer- 
ence, a system  of  accounting  and  auditing  is  prescribed  by 
ordinance  for  all  departments,  bureaus,  boards,  and  officers 
of  the  city,  and  all  these  are  subject  to  the  approval  of  the 


62 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


City  Comptroller,  who  may  require  monthly  financial 
reports  from  all  departments,  bureaus,  boards,  or  persons 
connected  with  the  city  government.  He  appoints  his  own 
deputy,  with  the  approval  of  the  City  Council. 

The  City  Comptroller  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor  and  is 
placed  under  a bond  of  $100,000.  His  salary  is  $10,000. 

A Business  Agent  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor.  It  is  his 
duty  to  purchase  all  the  supplies  and  material  for  the  use 
of  the  city,  and  let  contracts  for  labor,  where  the  cost  of 
supplies,  material,  or  labor  is  less  than  five  hundred  dollars. 

The  City  Paymaster  is  certified  for  his  position  by  the 
Civil  Service  Commission.  He  has  immediate  charge  of 
the  payment  of  salaries  to  city  employees,  including  public- 
school  teachers  and  library  employees.  His  warrants  on  the 
Treasurer  must  be  signed  by  the  Mayor  and  countersigned 
by  the  Comptroller. 

The  City  Treasurer.  It  is  the  City  Treasurer’s  duty  to 
receive  from  the  City  Collector,  the  Bureau  of  Water,  and 
the  County  Collector  all  moneys  belonging  to  the  city,  the 
Board  of  Education,  and  the  Public  Library;  to  deposit 
these  in  a bank ; to  keep  a separate  account  of  each  fund  or 
appropriation,  such  as  the  Corporate  Fund,  the  Water  Fund, 
the  School  Fund,  etc.;  to  pay  warrants;  and  to  render 
monthly  accounts  of  the  condition  of  the  treasury  to  the 
City  Comptroller. 

Warrants  drawn  on  the  City  Treasurer  must  be  signed  by 
the  Mayor  and  countersigned  by  the  Comptroller,  but  school 
warrants  are  signed  by  the  Secretary  and  the  President  of 
the  Board  of  Education  and  countersigned  by  the  Mayor 
and  the  Comptroller. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


63 


The  City  Treasurer  is  required  to  give  a bond  for  $2,000,- 
000,  and  whatever  interest  accrues  on  the  money  in  his 
hands  is  placed  to  the  credit  of  the  fund  which  earns  it. 
The  city  funds  are  deposited  by  the  Treasurer  in  such  bank 
or  banks  as  the  Council  may  designate.  He  reports  to  the 
Comptroller  monthly  all  details  concerning  the  funds  in  his 
hands.  He  is  treasurer  ex-officio  of  the  Firemen’s  Pension 
Fund,  the  Public  School  Teachers’  Pension  and  Retirement 
Fund,  the  Public  School  Employees’  Pension  Fund,  the 
Municipal  Employees’  Pension  Fund,  the  Public  Library 
Employees’  Pension  Fund,  and  is  the  custodian  of  the  City 
Clerk’s  official  bond. 

The  City  Treasurer  is  elected. 

The  City  Collector  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor.  It  is 
his  duty  to  collect  all  special  assessments  and  other  war- 
rants, receive  money  for  licenses,  inspections,  permits,  fran- 
chises, police  court  fines,  etc.  An  ordinance  provides,  how- 
ever, that  license  and  permit  fees  may  be  paid  to  the  officer 
authorized  to  issue  them,  and  that  collections  made  by  the 
Water  Bureau  shall  be  paid  directly  to  the  City  Treasurer. 
He  pays  over  to  the  City  Treasurer  daily  all  moneys  col- 
lected by  him,  and  files  receipts  with  the  Comptroller. 

The  Police  Department.  The  chief  officers  of  the  Po- 
lice Department  are  a General  Superintendent,  usually 
called  the  Chief  of  Police ; an  Assistant  Superintendent ; a 
Secretary  of  the  Department  ; a Private  Secretary  to  the 
Chief ; a Chief  Clerk;  a Drill  Master;  a Custodian,  and  eight 
inspectors,  one  for  each  division.  There  is  also  one  cap- 
tain for  each  of  the  twelve  police  districts,  and  as  many 
lieutenants,  detective  sergeants,  desk  sergeants,  and  patrol- 


64 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


men  as  may  be  deemed  necessary  by  the  Council ; in  general, 
a lieutenant  for  each  of  the  forty-four  precincts. 

There  are  482  commanding  officers  in  the  Department, 
3,816  patrolmen,  and  442  other  employees.  This  gives 
about  25  police  officers  to  each  square  mile,  and  1 police 
officer  to  every  527  inhabitants. 

The  Chief  of  Police  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor  and  re- 
ceives his  orders  from  him. 

This  officer  has  many  and  great  responsibilities.  It  is 
incumbent  on  him  to  enforce  the  laws  so  that  nothing  is 
permitted,  either  in  word  or  deed,  which  will  endanger  the 
lives  of  citizens  or  the  peaceful  conduct  of  business  through- 
out the  city.  He  must  place  the  various  members  of  the 
police  force  where  each  will  do  the  best  work  to  secure  the 
desired  ends.  His  duties  place  him  between  the  lawless  and 
criminal  classes  on  one  side,  and  the  law-abiding  citizens  on 
the  other ; hence  he  is  sure  to  receive  the  ill  will  of  a large 
number  of  people  before  the  end  of  his  term  of  service. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  police  to  preserve  order,  peace,  and 
quiet  within  the  city,  and  to  enforce  the  laws  and  ordi- 
nances throughout  the  city. 

Police  officers  have  power  to  serve  warrants  and  make 
arrests.  It  is  their  duty  to  assist  firemen  in  saving  prop- 
erty from  fire,  give  alarms,  and  keep  the  streets  clear  in 
the  vicinity  of  burning  buildings.  It  is  their  duty,  also,  to 
take  notice  of  all  obstructions  and  defects  in  the  streets. 

Every  regular  policeman  wears  a large  star-shaped  badge, 
with  the  city  seal  in  relief  in  the  center,  and  each  star  indi- 
cates the  rank  or  office  of  the  wearer.  Special  policemen 
wear  a plain  nine-pointed  star,  without  the  city  seal. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


65 


The  Chief  of  Police  may  appoint  special  patrolmen  from 
among  the  citizens,  and  may  appoint  any  employee  of  the 
city  a special  policeman. 

All  policemen  must  be  sober,  civil,  punctual,  and  prompt 
in  obedience  to  orders. 

The  Assistant  General  Superintendent  looks  after  the 
general  discipline  of  the  force,  and  directs  the  training  of 
new  policemen.  He  also  has  charge  of  the  selection  of  spe- 
cial policemen,  and  receives  their  reports  at  stated  periods. 
The  suppression  of  gambling  is  also  under  the  charge  of 
the  Assistant  Superintendent. 

Discipline  in  the  force  is  materially  aided  by  the  patrol 
sergeants,  who  are  dressed  in  citizens’  clothes,  and  report 
daily  to  the  General  Superintendent. 

Duties  of  Patrolmen.  Each  patrolman  has  a certain  beat 
assigned  to  him,  which  he  is  expected  to  know  thoroughly 
and  to  patrol  at  stated  intervals.  It  is  his  duty  to  give  in- 
formation to  those  asking  about  the  location  of  objects  and 
places ; to  assist  people  across  the  street ; to  respond  to 
alarms ; to  arrest  violators  of  the  law ; to  attend  fires ; to 
convey  sick  and  injured  persons  to  their  homes,  the  hospital, 
or  the  police-station,  and  dead  bodies  to  their  former  resi- 
dences, or,  if  unidentified,  to  the  morgue ; to  care  for  the 
insane  and  the  destitute ; to  take  prisoners  to  the  county  jail 
or  police-court ; to  take  stray  children  to  their  parents ; to 
kill  mad  or  crippled  animals ; to  stop  runaway  horses ; to 
recover  stolen  horses  and  vehicles ; to  take  children  to  the 
Foundlings’  Home  or  orphan  asylum ; to  rescue  people  from 
drowning ; to  conduct  needy  people  to  the  benevolent  in- 
stitutions, or  the  County  Agent’s  office ; to  suppress  dis- 


66 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


turbances,  if  possible  without  arrest ; and,  in  general,  to  see 
that  everything  within  his  district  is  done  decently  and 
in  order,  and  in  accordance  with  law  and  the  best  interests 
of  the  community. 

Respect  for  Policemen.  In  a city  like  Chicago,  no  depart- 
ment of  the  city  government  comes  closer  to  the  people 
themselves  than  that  of  the  police.  All  good  citizens  have 
the  greatest  respect  for  and  interest  in  the  man  who  wears 
the  policeman’s  uniform  and  protects  the  lives  and  property 
of  the  people.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  to  aid  the  police  in  every 
way  possible,  by  giving  information,  discouraging  public 
disturbances,  and  avoiding  the  company  of  the  vicious. 

The  men  who  are  thus  exposed  to  all  kinds  of  weather, 
at  all  hours  of  day  and  night,  facing  dangers  seen  and  un- 
seen, are  deserving  of  the  highest  regard,  not  to  say  the 
affection,  of  all  lovers  of  good  order  and  true  liberty. 

The  Secretary  of  Police  keeps  a record  of  the  expenses 
of  the  department,  and  has  general  supervision  of  the  real 
estate  and  personal  property  used  by  it. 

The  Detective  Bureau  does  a very  important  work  in 
receiving  complaints  from  citizens  and  from  other  cities, 
and  then  finding  the  persons  complained  of  and  the  prop- 
erty stolen. 

Officers  in  this  bureau  make  a special  effort  to  rid  the 
city  of  confidence-men  and  pickpockets.  These  detectives 
are  dressed  in  citizens’  clothes. 

Much  stolen  property  is  sold  at  pawn-shops,  and  each 
pawnbroker  is  required  to  report  daily  all  articles  taken  in 
pawn,  giving  the  numbers  of  watches,  bicycles,  etc.,  which 
may  have  been  taken. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


67 


If  one  knows  the  number  of  a stolen  watch,  he  should 
report  it  to  the  Detective  Bureau  at  the  City  Hall,  with  a 
general  description  of  the  watch.  If  it  gets  into  a pawn- 
shop, the  owner  will  surely  recover  it.  A large  number 
of  watches  are  reported  stolen  each  day  in  Chicago,  and 
about  one-fourth  of  these  are  restored  to  their  owners. 

The  Custodian’s  Office.  In  one  room  of  the  City  Hall  is 
kept  all  property  seized  by  the  police  or  found  on  the  streets 
or  recovered  from  thieves,  until  it  is  claimed  by  the  owners. 
If  not  claimed  within  sixty  days,  a public  sale  is  advertised 
to  take  place  after  ten  days  more,  and  then  the  property  is 
sold  by  auction,  and  the  net  receipts  are  applied  to  the  Po- 
lice Pension  Fund.  The  value  of  stolen  articles  turned  into 
the  Custodian’s  Office  has  amounted  to  $75,000  in  a year. 

By  an  ordinance  passed  by  the  City  Council  March  23, 
1908,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Custodian  to  “transport  all  re- 
volvers, knives,  slung  shots,  metallic  knuckles,  or  other 
deadly  weapons  of  like  character,  to  a point  in  Lake  Mich- 
igan at  least  five  miles  from  the  shore  line,  and  there  de- 
posit same  on  the  bottom  of  said  lake.” 

The  Custodian  also  destroys  all  gambling  instruments 
and  weapons  confiscated  by  the  courts. 

Police  Printing-Office.  There  is  also  a small  printing- 
office  at  the  City  Hall,  where  a daily  bulletin  is  printed  and 
sent  to  all  police  officers  in  the  city,  giving  a description  of 
thieves  that  are  being  sought  for  and  of  people  lost,  and 
other  matters  which  policemen  should  know.  In  this  office 
is  kept  a list  of  all  stolen  property  liable  to  find  its  way  to 
pawn-shops,  and  pawnbrokers  are  at  once  notified,  through 
the  bulletin,  of  all  such  stolen  property. 


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CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  Bureau  of  Identification.  It  is  the  business  of  this 
bureau  to  identify  persons  charged  with  crime.  The  pro- 
cess of  identification  consists  of  taking  photographs,  meas- 
uring carefully  every  part  of  the  body,  and  recording  every 
possible  mark  or  characteristic  which  can  be  found,  and 
comparing  such  with  those  previously  made.  This  is  called 
the  Bertillon  system.  The  finger-print  system  has  now 
been  introduced  also.  The  records  of  both  systems  are  kept 
on  cards  filed  in  boxes. 

The  Bureau  of  Police  Records.  This  bureau  maintains 
a uniform  system  of  blankbooks  and  records  throughout  the 
department,  which  enables  each  station,  as  well  as  police 
headquarters,  to  keep  a perfect  record  of  all  matters  per- 
taining to  the  affairs  of  the  department.  This  bureau  is  pe- 
culiar to  the  city  of  Chicago,  as  the  whole  system  is  original 
in  its  plan  and  method  of  compiling  and  recording  the  sta- 
tistics. Full  and  detailed  information  may  be  obtained  from 
these  records  in  a few  moments’  time  concerning  criminal 
matters  of  all  kinds. 

The  Vehicle  Inspection  Department.  The  patrol  ser- 
geant in  charge  of  this  department  receives  applications  for 
license  of  vehicles  and  license  to  drive  passenger-vehicles. 
He  also  investigates  complaints  from  overcharge  of  pas- 
sengers, accidents  with  atuomobiles,  and  the  loss  of  prop- 
erty in  public  vehicles. 

The  Construction  Department  provides  the  labor  and  ma- 
terial for  all  the  police-stations,  the  patrol-wagons,  buggies, 
ambulances,  etc.,  and  reports  the  expenses  in  detail  to  the 
General  Superintendent. 

The  City  Dog-pound  is  on  the  grounds  of  the  House  of 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


69 


Correction.  The  superintendent  keeps  unlicensed  dogs  at 
the  pound,  and  releases  them  on  payment  of  the  fee.  The 
number  of  dogs  received  in  a year  amounts  to  about  six- 
teen thousand,  and  the  fees  to  about  five  thousand  dollars. 

The  Bureau  of  Firearms.  It  is  contrary  to  ordinance 
for  any  person  living  in  the  city  to  carry,  purchase,  or  sell 
firearms  without  holding  a license  or  permit  from  the  Su- 
perintendent of  the  Bureau  of  Firearms.  A record  is  kept 
of  all  applications  for  license,  the  weapons  permitted,  and 
the  weapons  confiscated.  Dealers  are  required  to  make 
daily  reports  of  sales  made. 

The  Training  of  the  Police.  A Drill  Master  trains  the 
members  of  the  force  in  the  use  of  the  revolver,  also  in  cav- 
alry and  drill  exercises. 

Sixty  of  the  finest-looking  men  on  the  police  force  are 
drilled  specially  for  extraordinary  occasions,  where  a dis- 
play escort  is  desirable.  These  men  are  called  the  “Beauty 
Squad.” 

Mounted  police  within  the  loop  are  a recent  innovation 
and  have  proved  their  efficiency  in  many  instances.  They 
cooperate  closely  with  the  policemen  at  crossings  and  in 
many  ways  demonstrate  to  the  public  the  direct  service  of 
the  police  in  preserving  order  and  aiding  in  the  move- 
ment of  pedestrians,  teams,  and  cars. 

The  Police  Pension  Fund  receivers  from  three  per  cent  to 
a hundred  per  cent  of  different  license  fees. 

The  Fire  Department.  When,  in  1833,  Chicago  was 
only  a frontier  village,  with  a population  of  from  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  to  three  hundred  and  fifty,  living  along  the 
south  bank  of  the  river  where  South  Water  Street  now  runs, 
it  had  a fire  company  called  the  “Washington  Volunteers.” 


70 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  first  fire  ordinance,  passed  the  year  this  fire  company 
was  organized,  prohibited  the  “passing  of  any  stove-pipe 
through  the  roof,  partition,  or  side  of  any  building  unless 
guarded  by  tin  or  iron  six  inches  from  the  wood,”  with  a 
fine  of  five  dollars  for  any  violation  of  the  law,  the  fine  to 
be  repeated  if  the  cause  of  complaint  was  not  removed 
within  forty-eight  hours. 

The  following  year  the  town  was  divided  into  four  wards, 
and  in  each  a warden  was  appointed  to  make  a monthly 
inspection  to  see  that  the  ordinance  was  complied  with. 
(It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Chicago’s  first  fire  was  occa- 
sioned by  the  carrying  of  a shovel  full  of  coals  from  one 
building  to  another.)  The  wardens  had  the  power  in  case 
of  fire  to  call  on  citizens  or  bystanders  to  assist  in  putting 
out  the  blaze. 

The  fire-bucket  ordinance  of  1835  required  every  occu- 
pant or  owner  of  a store  or  dwelling  “to  have  one  good 
painted  leather  fire-bucket,  with  the  initials  of  the  owner’s 
name  painted  thereon,”  for  each  fireplace  or  stove  in  the 
building,  and  hung  in  a conspicuous  place. 

The  real  beginning  of  anything  that  might  be  called  a fire 
department  was  made  in  1835.  The  engine  house  was  on 
LaSalle  Street,  where  the  City  Hall  now  stands,  and  cov- 
ered a space  twelve  by  twenty-four  feet  in  area.  It  con- 
tained a cistern  “made  of  good  pine  lumber”  large  enough 
to  hold  two  hogsheads  of  water.  Two  hand-engines  were 
purchased  for  this  nucleus  of  a fire  department. 

The  first  paid  fire  department  was  organized  in  1858. 
Steam  engines  were  then  purchased  for  the  first  time,  and  a 
fire-alarm  telegraph  system  was  provided.  The  hose-carts 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


71 


were  at  first  drawn  by  men  running  at  top  speed,  but  the 
engines  were  drawn  by  horses. 

The  great  fire  of  1871  led  to  a reorganization  of  the  Fire 
Department  on  a military  basis.  The  city  is  now  divided 
into  eighteen  battalion  districts,  the  companies  in  each  com- 
prising a battalion,  in  charge  of  an  Assistant  Fire  Marshal, 
or  Battalion  Chief.  It  is  the  Fire  Marshal’s  duty  to  attend 
all  fires  in  his  district  and  assume  control.  The  captain  and 
lieutenant  of  each  company  called  out  go  with  all  the  men 
at  the  house  when  the  alarm  is  given.  Once  arrived  at  the 
fire,  one  set  of  men  (the  pipe  men)  await  the  captain’s 
order  to  “lead  out’’  the  hose ; others  with  pike  poles  stand 
ready  to  pull  down  walls,  while  the  truck-men  (with  hook 
and  ladder)  set  about  their  duty  of  rescuing  people  and 
property.  And  so,  modestly  and  bravely,  these  firemen  do 
their  work,  for  the  most  part  unnoticed  by  the  busy  city 
around  them,  until  some  signal  act  of  courage  calls  atten- 
tion for  a brief  space  to  one  important  branch  of  the  city’s 
protectors. 

The  Fire  Department  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  all 
the  departments  of  the  city  government.  Every  citizen  is 
interested  in  the  working  and  the  effectiveness  of  this  de- 
partment. A fire  may  break  out  at  any  time  in  our  house 
or  in  our  neighborhood,  and  if  the  Fire  Department  does  not 
do  the  best  work  possible  in  trying  to  extinguish  the  flames, 
our  home  and  property  may  be  quickly  destroyed. 

There  are  now  117  fire-engine  companies;  34  hook-and- 
ladder  companies,  including  15  chemical  engines  and  1 hose 
company ; 6 fire-boat  crews ; 3 volunteer  companies  ( 1 at 
Normal  Park,  1 at  Flansen  Park,  and  1 at  Riverdale),  and 


72 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


1 water-tower ; besides  8 fire-insurance  patrols,  all  read / to 
respond  to  a call  at  any  moment,  day  or  night,  to  aid  in 
extinguishing  or  checking  a fire  which  may  have  broken 
out  in  any  part  of  the  city.  These  companies  comprise  a 
membership  of  about  1,800  men. 

The  fire-insurance  patrols  are  not  maintained  by  the  city, 
but  by  the  special  contributions  of  fire-insurance  companies. 

The  volunteer  companies  draw  no  salaries,  but  are  fur- 
nished supplies,  apparatus,  and  buildings  for  their  accom- 
modation. There  are  53  men  in  these  companies,  and  each 
company  reports  to  the  Fire  Department. 

The  Fire  Marshal  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor.  He  has 
absolute  control  over  everything  connected  with  the  depart- 
ment. 

The  Health  Department.  In  this  department  every 
citizen  is  directly  interested,  as  its  leading  purpose  is  to 
promote  the  health  of  all  the  citizens,  by  looking  after 
everything  that  contributes  to  the  cleanliness  and  health  of 
the  exterior  city  as  well  as  that  of  private  houses,  public 
buildings,  and  business  establishments.  It  is  this  depart- 
ment that  prevents  the  sale  of  unfit  meat,  milk,  and  vegeta- 
bles, and  to  it  should  be  credited  the  general  good  health  of 
the  people. 

The  Commissioner  of  Health  reported  for  1909  that  Chi- 
cago is  the  second  healthiest  American  city  having  more 
than  300,000  inhabitants.  The  cities  of  this  class  ranked 
in  the  following  order:  Cleveland,  Chicago,  Milwaukee, 

Detroit,  Pittsburgh,  Buffalo,  St.  Louis,  Philadelphia,  New 
York,  Cincinnati,  Boston,  Baltimore,  Washington,  New  Or- 
leans. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


73 


In  reference  to  mortality  from  special  diseases  in  the  eight 
cities  of  500,000  population,  Chicago  ranked  as  follows: — 

Child  mortality Second  lowest 

Consumption  Fourth  lowest 

Pneumonia Second  highest 

Typhoid  fever Lowest 

Diphtheria  Third  highest 

Scarlet  fever.  . / Fourth  lowest 

Diarrhoea  Third  highest 

By  a popular  vote  in  1908,  a special  tuberculosis  hospital 
is  to  be  erected  at  once. 

Tbe  death  rate  in  1909  per  one  thousand  inhabitants  was 
14.05 ; of  children  under  five  years  of  age,  75.0  per  one  thou- 
sand of  those  living  at  those  ages.  There  was  a reduction  in 
the  death  rate  from  typhoid  fever,  and  from  acute  conta- 
gious diseases,  excepting  diphtheria,  tuberculosis,  bron- 
chitis, and  influenza;  while  there  was  a slight  increase  in 
deaths  from  pneumonia. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  Commissioner  of  Health  to  look  after 
the  general  health  of  the  city,  and  to  enforce  laws  and  ordi- 
nances relating  to  sanitation.  He  keeps  records  of  births 
and  deaths,  and  other  vital  statistics,  and  provides  against 
the  spread  of  contagious  diseases. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  Health  Department  to  inspect  fac- 
tories, tenements,  and  buildings  in  process  of  construction, 
with  reference  to  their  sanitary  condition ; to  inquire  as  to 
the  condition  of  factory  employees ; to  prepare  an  annual 
report  of  trades  and  occupations,  and  the  number  of  per- 
sons employed  in  them ; to  inspect  the  markets  for  the  dis- 


74 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


covery  of  diseased  meats,  vegetables,  or  fruits ; to  secure 
the  removal  of  dead  animals  from  streets,  alleys,  and  vacant 
lots ; to  suggest  methods  for  the  prevention  of  epidemics,  etc. 

For  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  this  thorough  inspection 
of  all  places  and  conditions  liable  to  produce  disease,  there 
are  in  all  four  hundred  and  seventy-five  persons  employed 
in  this  department. 

The  City  Physician  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor.  He  ex- 
amines and  cares  for  sick  and  injured  persons  at  the  police 
stations,  also  employees  of  the  city  and  applicants  for  posi- 
tions in  the  service  of  the  city,  and  persons  claiming  to  have 
been  injured  by  defective  sidewalks,  streets,  or  bridges.  He 
makes  monthly  visits  to  the  House  of  Correction,  the  Juve- 
nile Detention  Home,  the  Chicago  Infants’  Hospital,  the 
House  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  and  the  Chicago  Erring- 
Woman’s  Refuge,  and  reports  to  the  City  Comptroller 
monthly. 

The  Bureaus  of  Laboratory  Service  and  of  Food  Inspec- 
tion. The  Superintendent,  the  Bacteriologist,  and  the 
Chemist  are  appointed  by  the  Commissioner  of  Health  from 
the  Civil  Service  lists  of  eligibles.  They  examine  milk  and 
cream,  meat,  water,  food,  drugs,  etc.,  and  keep  a record  of 
every  analysis  or  examination.  Every  person  who  sells 
milk,  water,  food,  drugs,  fish,  or  fowl  must  have  a license, 
and  must  permit  the  Food  Inspectors  to  examine  not  only 
the  articles  themselves  but  also  the  places  where  they  are 
kept,  under  penalty  of  fine  for  refusal.  A fine  is  imposed 
for  the  offering  for  sale  of  any  impure  or  adulterated  article 
of  food  or  drink. 

A city  ordinance  requires  that  all  milk  sold  in  the  city 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


75 


must  be  pasteurized  or  come  from  cows  that  have  passed 
the  test  for  tuberculosis.  Milk  sold  in  stores  where  other 
merchandise  is  handled  must  be  kept  in  bottles. 

All  meats  sold  in  Chicago  must  bear  the  stamp  of  inspec- 
tion of  the  federal  or  city  inspection  bureau. 

The  Ice  Inspectors  examine  the  ice  that  is  sold  for  do- 
mestic purposes,  and  the  iceman  is  required  to  weigh  the  ice 
when  delivered,  if  he  is  requested  to  do  so. 

The  Fish  Inspector  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor.  He  may 
enter  into  any  store  or  other  place  and  inspect  the  fish  kept 
or  sold  there,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  whether  such 
fish  are  in  good  condition  and  fit  for  food.  If  the  fish  are 
found  to  be  tainted  or  unwholesome,  the  Inspector  must 
seize  them  and  cause  them  to  be  destroyed  at  the  expense 
of  the  owner,  who  is  also  made  subject  to  a fine  of  not  less 
than  ten  dollars  nor  more  than  one  hundred  dollars  for  each 
offense. 

The  Meat  Inspectors  are  authorized  to  seize,  condemn, 
and  destroy  any  tainted  or  unwholesome  meat,  fruit,  or 
vegetables  found  anywhere  in  the  city. 

In  1909,  3,617,578  pounds  of  food  were  condemned  and 
destroyed,  nearly  half  of  which  were  canned  goods,  and 
916,732  pounds  were  fruit  and  vegetables.  For  violation 
of  the  pure  food  law,  1,442  offenders  were  prosecuted,  the 
fines  imposed  amounting  to  $5,846.50. 

The  Bureau  of  Sanitary  Inspection.  The  Chief  Sanitary 
Inspector  has  supervision  of  the  installation  of  sanitary 
appliances  in  new  buildings ; may  inspect  any  building  or 
workshop ; may  pronounce  any  offensive  or  unhealthy  con- 
dition a nuisance  and  compel  its  abatement,  by  suit  if  neces- 


76 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


sary;  may  examine  and  condemn  defective  plumbing;  may 
enforce  proper  ventilation  in  rooms;  and  may  order  cellars, 
filthy  yards,  or  unoccupied  grounds  cleaned  and  purified. 

The  bureau  collects  fees  for  inspection  and  turns  them 
over  to  the  City  Collector. 

The  Bureau  of  Contagious  Diseases.  The  number  of 
medical  examinations  of  school  children  for  contagious  dis- 
eases in  1909  was  647,742,  and  15,618  of  these  children  were 
excluded  from  the  schools.  The  number  of  examinations 
for  physical  defects  was  123,897,  of  which  63,188,  or  51  per 
cent,  needed  treatment. 

A corps  of  about  fifty  nurses  is  employed  for  work  among 
school  children,  as  an  auxiliary  to  the  school  medical  inspec- 
tion. The  nurses  follow  the  children  to  their  homes  and  see 
that  the  required  treatments  are  given.  These  nurses  ex- 
amined in  1909  nearly  200,000  children. 

School  of  Sanitary  Instruction.  The  Health  Department 
also  practically  affords  a school  for  sanitary  instruction  to 
any  graduate  from  a reputable  medical  college,  or  senior 
undergraduate,  by  admitting  such  students  to  the  privileges 
of  an  eight-weeks’  course  of  practical  instruction  and  work 
in  sanitary  science  and  public  hygiene,  all  without  charge. 
At  the  end  of  the  term,  if  his  work  is  satisfactory,  the  stu- 
dent is  given  a certificate  by  the  Commissioner  of  Health, 
setting  forth  his  qualifications  and  the  fact  of  his  attendance 
at  the  school. 

Ambulance  Service.  Besides  about  fifty  private  ambu- 
lances, maintained  by  hospitals  and  undertakers,  and  the 
fifty  patrol  wagons  of  the  Police  Department,  which  are 
often  used  as  ambulances,  the  Health  Department  has  con- 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


77 


trol  of  six  ambulances,  one  for  each  -police  division  head- 
quarters, and  holds  one  Ambulance  Surgeon  ready  to  ac- 
company one  of  these  ambulances  whenever  it  is  called  out. 

Relief  Station  No.  1 is  an  emergency  hospital  established 
in  connection  with  the  Harrison  Street  police  station.  Other 
hospitals  of  this  nature  will  probably  be  established  in  other 
parts  of  the  city.  Within  the  loop  an  auto  ambulance  is 
used  for  emergency  cases. 

The  Municipal  Lodging-House  is  designed  to  provide 
shelter  and  food  for  deserving  poor  men  who  are  tempora- 
rily out  of  employment.  Those  who  are  able  to  work  are 
required  to  labor  three  hours  on  the  streets  in  return  for 
lodging  and  breakfast.  No  tramps  or  drunken  persons  are 
admitted. 

It  is  desirable  that  citizens  should  understand  the  purpose 
of  this  institution.  Vagrants  applying  at  our  doors  for 
food,  clothing,  or  lodging  may  be  needy,  or  may  be  profes- 
sional beggars  or  disguised  thieves.  In  either  case  a card 
of  admission  may  be  given  them,  which  will  be  honored  as 
it  deserves  at  the  Municipal  Lodging  House,  No.  12  North 
Union  Street.  If  worthy,  the  bearer  will  receive  food, 
lodging,  and  a bath  free,  besides  such  other  aid  as  the  cir- 
cumstances may  demand.  Cards  of  admission  may  be  ob- 
tained either  at  the  place  named,  or  of  the  patrolman  on 
the  beat. 

Free  Public  Baths.  There  are  now  sixteen  free  public 
baths  maintained  by  the  city,  and  several  more  are  to  be 
opened  for  use  in  the  summer  of  1910.  These  baths  are 
for  all  persons  who  are  not  provided  with  bathing  facilities 
at  their  homes  The  baths  are  kept  open  every  Saturday 


78 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


night  the  year  round,  exclusively  for  workmen,  and  also  on 
Wednesday  nights  during  the  warm  season.  They  are  open 
/two  days  each  week  during  the  bathing-season  for  women 
’and  girls  only. 

Only  shower  baths  are  given. 

The  first  free  public  bath  in  Chicago  was  built  in  1893, 
and  was  the  first  absolutely  free  public  bath  in  the  United 
States,  if  not  the  first  in  the  world. 

The  average  cost  of  each  bath-house  is  about  twenty 
thousand  dollars ; the  cost  per  annum  for  maintenance  is 
about  five  thousand  dollars. 

There  are  also  several  other  popular  bathing-resorts, 
which  are  maintained  by  private  management. 

Removal  of  Dead  Animals.  The  presence  of  a dead  ani- 
mal in  any  public  place  may  be  reported  to  the  Police  De- 
partment or  to  the  Health  Department,  and  the  Dead 
Animal  Contractor  will  be  immediately  notified  to  remove 
the  same.  The  Contractor  does  this  under  contract  with 
the  city,  and  without  pay,  his  remuneration  coming  from 
the  hides  which  he  sells. 

The  House  of  Correction,  sometimes  called  the  Bride- 
well, is  located  on  California  Avenue,  near  Twenty-sixth 
Street,  and  includes  an  area  of  sixty  acres.  A Superin- 
tendent is  in  charge,  under  supervision  and  direction  of  a 
Board  of  Inspectors  who  serve  without  compensation.  He 
enforces  order  and  discipline,  and  receives  and  discharges 
all  persons  who  may  be  sentenced  thereto  by  any  court  or 
magistrate  of  the  county  authorized  by  the  state,  or  by  any 
ordinance  of  the  city,  or  by  any  town  or  village  of  the  county 
having  a contract  with  the  city  for  the  care  of  its  prisoners. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


79 


Persons  sent  to  the  House  of  Correction  are  obliged  to 
work  not  exceeding  three  hours  a day,  and  each  one  so 
working  is  credited  with  fifty  cents  a day,  exclusive  of  cost 
of  board.  Their  work  covers  most  of  the  common  indus- 
tries, and  is  valued  at  upward  of  five  thousand  dollars  a 
year. 

The  daily  average  number  of  inmates  is  upward  of  two 
thousand. 

Two  Houses  of  Shelter  for  girls  under  sixteen  years  of 
age  are  maintained  by  the  House  of  Correction ; also  the 
John  Worthy  School,  which  has  about  a thousand  boys  in 
the  course  of  a year  for  training  and  education. 

The  Building  Department.  The  Building-Commissioner 
is  expected  to  enforce  all  ordinances  relating  to  the  erection, 
construction,  alteration,  repair,  removal,  or  safety  of  build- 
ings. He  must  thoroughly  inspect  all  public  school  build- 
ings, public  halls,  churches,  theaters,  factories,  hotels,  apart- 
ment houses,  etc.,  see  that  fire-escapes  are  provided  where 
needed,  and  that  safe  exits  are  provided  from  all  such  build- 
ings. 

He  may  prohibit  and  stop  the  use  of  any  passenger  or 
freight  elevator  found  unsafe,  and  may  direct  the  Fire  De- 
partment to  tear  down  any  defective  or  dangerous  wall  or 
building  constructed  in  violation  of  the  ordinance,  the  owner 
being  obliged  to  pay  the  bill  for  expenses. 

Within  certain  limits,  known  as  the  fire  district,  the  ex- 
terior of  new  buildings  must  consist  of  stone,  brick,  or  iron 
and  steel.  Outside  of  those  limits  wooden  buildings  may 
be  constructed,  but  a permit  must  be  obtained  before  a 
building  may  be  erected  in  any  part  of  the  city. 


80 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS. 


The  Building-Commissioner  appoints  four  Chief  Build- 
ing Inspectors,  who  must  report  weekly  on  all  buildings  in 
course  of  erection,  alteration,  repair,  or  removal. 

Some  of  the  largest  and  costliest  structures  ever  erected 
in  Chicago  are  the  following,  all  of  which  have  been  com- 
pleted since  1910: — 


Chicago  & Northwestern  Railway  Station $5,000,000 

LaSalle  Hotel  2,800,000 

People’s  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Co.  Building 2,500,000 

Blackstone  Hotel 1,500,000 

City  Hall  • 4,500,000 


Before  the  erection,  enlargement,  alteration,  or  repair  of 
any  building  in  the  city  is  begun,  a permit  must  be  obtained 
from  the  Building  Commissioner,  and  work  must  begin 
within  six  months  and  be  completed  within  a reasonable 
time.  The  permit  for  removal  of  a building  is  issued  by  the 
Bureau  of  Streets.  The  specifications  and  requirements 
relating  to  buildings  are  fully  set  forth  in  the  City  Code,  and 
are  very  strict.  They  should  be  studied  carefully  before  the 
construction  or  alteration  of  any  building  is  undertaken. 

In  school  buildings  the  principal  is  required  to  maintain 
a fire  drill  of  the  pupils,  and  practice  at  least  twice  every 
month  during  the  school  year. 

One  inspector  from  the  Building  Department  has  special 
charge  of  public  halls  and  places  of  amusement.  There  are 
about  five  hundred  theaters  of  all  kinds  in  the  city,  four 
hundred  of  which  are  five-cent  theaters.  The  department 
insists  that  there  must  be  two  rear  exits  from  every  theater. 
Five-cent  theaters  are  prohibited  from  occupying  frame 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


81 


buildings,  and  any  floor  above  the  first  of  any  building ; also 
any  building  in  which  there  are  sleeping  or  living  rooms 
above  the  first  floor. 

Another  inspector  looks  after  hotels  and  large  apartment 
buildings. 

The  Oil  Inspector  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor,  though 
the  office  was  created  by  the  legislature  in  1874.  It  is  his 
duty  to  test  coa-l-oil,  naphtha,  benzine,  gasoline,  and  other 
products  of  petroleum.  He  is  paid  a fixed  rate  by  those  em- 
ploying his  services. 

The  Department  for  the  Inspection  of  Steam  Boilers, 
Steam  and  Cooling  Plants  examines  all  steam  plants  to 
insure  the  safety  of  the  pressure  apparatus,  and  its  accessi- 
bility for  renewal  of  parts,  whether  for  power  or  heating 
purposes. 

The  Chief  Inspector  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor.  He  ap- 
points a Supervising  Engineer  and  a Chief  Deputy  In- 
spector. 

The  Department  of  Smoke  Inspection.  The  Smoke  In- 
spector is  appointed  by  the  Mayor.  It  is  his  duty  to  inspect 
the  construction  of  boiler  plants  to  insure  adequate  provision 
for  the  prevention  of  smoke,  and  proper  ventilation  of  the 
furnace  room. 

The  Mayor  also  appoints  a Smoke  Abatement  Commis- 
sion, consisting  of  eight  members,  who  act  as  advisers  of  the 
Inspector  and  the  Mayor,  but  serve  without  compensation. 
This  board  may  name  an  advisory  board  of  mechanical  en- 
gineers, consisting  of  three  members,  who  are  paid  ten 
dollars  each  per  meeting. 

The  Smoke  Department  may  prosecute  violators  of  the 


82 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


ordinance,  which  forbids  the  issuing  of  dense  smoke  from 
the  chimney  of  any  private  or  public  building,  or  from  any 
boat  or  locomotive  within  the  city.  On  conviction,  a fine 
is  imposed  varying  from  ten  dollars  to  one  hundred  dollars. 

The  Department  of  Weights  and  Measures.  The  City 
Scaler  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor,  with  the  official  title  of 
Inspector  of  Weights  and  Measures.  He  inspects  and 
stamps  with  his  seal,  at  least  once  a year,  all  weights  and 
measures,  and  all  instruments  used  for  weighing  in  the  city, 
except  track  scales  and  scales  of  a capacity  of  three  tons 
and  upward ; these  are  inspected  by  him  every  six  months. 
Any  person  who  removes  or  destroys  the  seal  of  inspection 
is  subject  to  a fine  of  not  less  than  twenty-five  dollars  nor 
more  than  two  hundred  dollars. 

Any  scales  or  measures  found  to  be  inaccurate  he  marks 
“condemned,”  and  if  they  are  not  adjusted  and  properly 
sealed  within  ten  days,  the  City  Sealer  must  seize  and  de- 
stroy them.  This  applies  to  scales  used  by  merchants  in 
stores,  by  peddlers,  milk  and  ice  dealers,  fruit  and  vegetable 
dealers,  and  sellers  of  coal  and  wood,  hay,  and  feed.  It  is 
unlawful  to  practice  fraud  or  deceit  in  the  selling  of  any 
article.  Articles  of  dry  measurement  must  not  be  sold  in 
wine  or  liquid  measures,  and  vice  versa.  For  instance,  beans 
and  cranberries  are  often  fraudulently  sold  by  liquid  meas- 
ure. Wooden  plates  or  trays  must  not  be  included  in 
weighing  butter,  lard,  meat,  etc.  Boxes  of  candy  sold  for  a 
pound  must  contain  a full  pound  of  sixteen  ounces,  besides 
the  weight  of  the  box.  Every  basket,  measure,  or  bottle 
must  be  stamped  to  show  its  capacity,  if  the  article  is  sold 
by  measure.  Coal  baskets  or  measures,  milk  bottles,  etc., 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


83 


must  be  sealed  by  the  Inspector  of  Weights  and  Measures 
and  must  contain  the  full  quantity  specified.  Any  person 
suspecting  that  he  is  receiving  short  weight  in  coal,  gro- 
ceries, or  any  other  article  of  merchandise,  or  scant  measure 
in  wood,  fruit,  berries,  or  vegetables,  may  complain  to  the 
City  Sealer,  and  that  officer  will  at  once  inspect  the  scales 
or  measures  used,  and  impose  a fine  if  they  are  not  found 
to  be  correct.  His  fees  for  inspection  range  from  five  cents 
to  three  dollars  and  a half.  These  fees  he  turns  in  daily  to 
the  City  Collector,  and  at  the  same  time  reports  to  the  Comp- 
troller his  transactions  for  the  day. 

All  venders  of  merchandise,  peddlers,  and  hawkers  must 
have  their  scales,  weights,  and  measures  inspected  and 
sealed  annually. 

All  bulky  articles,  like  potatoes,  apples,  etc.,  sold  by  dry 
measure,  must  be  heaped  up  as  high  as  possible. 

No  person  is  allowed  to  offer  for  sale  any  package,  bas- 
ket, bag,  box,  or  barrel  of  fruit,  berries,  or  vegetables,  the 
contents  of  which  are  not  of  uniform  quality  and  size 
throughout. 

Any  violation  of  the  rules  of  this  department  subjects  the 
offender  to  a fine  of  not  less  than  twenty-five  dollars  nor 
more  than  one  hundred  dollars  for  each  offense. 

The  Board  of  Examiners  of  Engineers  examines  and 
licenses  applicants  for  positions  as  engineers  or  in  charge 
of  steam  boilers.  There  are  three  members  of  the  board, 
appointed  by  the  Mayor,  and  three  inspectors.  Their  sal- 
aries are  paid  from  license  fees  collected,  and  in  case  the 
receipts  from  such  fees  are  insufficient  to  pay  the  salaries 
and  legitimate  expenses  of  the  board,  the  salaries  are  dimin- 


84 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


ished  pro  rata.  The  board  is  provided  with  suitable  quarters 
by  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Works. 

No  person  may  manage  or  operate  any  steam  engine  or 
boiler  in  the  city  until  he  has  first  obtained  a license  from 
this  board  good  for  one  year.  The  penalty  is  from  twenty 
dollars  to  fifty  dollars  for  each  offense.  The  penalty  for 
an  employer  permitting  such  offense  is  from  fifty  dollars  to 
two  hundred  dollars  for  each  day’s  violation  of  the  ordi- 
nance. An  engineer’s  license  costs  two  dollars ; a boiler  or 
water-tender's,  one  dollar. 

Every  licensed  engineer  is  required  to  make  a written 
report  within  the  first  ten  days  in  January  and  July  of  each 
year,  to  the  Board  of  Examiners,  of  the  condition  of  the 
engine,  boilers,  and  steam  apparatus  under  his  charge. 

Before  applying  for  a license  as  engineer,  the  applicant 
must  have  had  at  least  two  years’  practice  in  the  manage- 
ment, operation,  or  construction  of  steam  engines  and 
boilers. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  Board  of  Examiners  to  see  that  each 
boiler  plant  in  the  city  has  a licensed  engineer  or  boiler  or 
water-tender  in  charge  at  all  times  when  working  under 
pressure. 

Engineers  in  charge  of  locomotives  are  exempt  from  these 
requirements ; also  men  in  charge  of  boilers  used  for  heat- 
ing private  dwellings,  hothouses,  and  conservatories,  and 
other  boilers  carrying  not  more  than  ten  pounds  of  pressure 
.of  steam  per  square  inch. 

The  Board  of  Street  Railway  Supervising  Engineers, 

By  an  ordinance  passed  in  1907,  a Board  of  Supervising 
Engineers  was  created,  consisting  of  one  engineer  to  repre- 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


85 


sent  the  Chicago  City  Railway  Company,  one  the  Chicago 
Railways  Company,  and  one  the  city  of  Chicago.  The  rail- 
way companies  appointed  their  own  representatives  and  the 
Mayor  appointed  the  representative  for  the  city.  Any  one 
of  these  representatives  may  be  removed  by  the  authority 
appointing  him,  and  another  appointed,  provided  written 
notice  is  given  to  the  other  parties. 

In  1908  the  Calumet  and  South  Chicago  Railway  Com- 
pany was  recognized  as  a fourth  party  to  the  agreement,  and 
that  company  appointed  its  engineer  as  a fourth  member  of 
the  board. 

The  Board  of  Examiners  of  Plumbers  is  composed  of 
three  members,  one  of  whom  is  the  Commissioner  of  Health, 
who  is  ex-officio  chairman  of  the  board;  a second  member, 
who  is  required  to  be  a master  plumber ; and  a third,  who 
is  a journeyman  plumber.  The  second  and  third  members 
are  appointed  by  the  Mayor, 

This  board  examines  applicants  for  certificates  as  plumb- 
ers, and  issues  certificates  to  those  found  qualified.  Em- 
ployers of  plumbers  or  master  plumbers  pay  fifty  dollars 
for  a certificate;  journeymen  plumbers  one  dollar.  These 
certificates  must  be  renewed  annually.  The  fee  for  renewal 
of  a master  plumber’s  certificate  is  ten  dollars;  of  a jour- 
neyman plumber's,  one  dollar. 

Board  of  Examiners  of  Moving  Picture  Operators. 
In  1908  the  City  Council  passed  an  ordinance  establishing 
a Board  of  Examiners  of  Moving  Picture  Operators.  This 
board  consists  of  two  members,  one  of  whom  is  the  City 
Electrician,  who  is  ex-officio  chairman  of  the  board.  The 
other  member  is  appointed  by  the  City  Electrician  according 


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CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


to  law.  It  is  their  duty  to  examine  all  applicants  for  licenses 
as  moving  picture  operators,  and  if  they  are  found  compe- 
tent, to  issue  certificates  to  such  applicants.  The  fee  for  a 
license  is  ten  dollars. 

The  ordinance  also  provides  against  danger  in  the  use  of 
moving  pictures,  and  empowers  the  Chief  of  Police  to  pre- 
vent the  use  of  moving  picture  machines  in  violation  of  the 
city  ordinance.  It  also  gives  the  Mayor  power  to  revoke 
licenses  of  moving  picture  operators  on  advice  from  the 
Chief  of  Police,  the  City  Electrician,  or  the  Fire  Marshal. 

Secretary  of  Boards  of  Examiners.  By  an  ordinance 
passed  January  10,  1910,  the  Mayor  appoints  one  Secretary 
for  the  Board  of  Examiners  of  Plumbers,  the  Board  of 
Examiners  of  Stationery  Engineers,  the  Board  of  Automo- 
bile Registry,  and  the  Board  of  Examiners  of  Moving  Pic- 
ture Operators.  This  secretary  performs  the  common  duties 
of  secretary  for  all  the  above-named  boards. 

The  Department  of  Public  Works.  The  Commissioner 
of  Public  Works  is  the  head  of  this  department.  He  has 
charge  of  all  the  streets,  bridges,  docks,  public  lands  and 
buildings,  etc.,  collects  water  rent  and  taxes,  water  and  sew- 
age licenses  and  permits,  and  makes  contracts  for  public 
improvements  not  made  by  special  assessment.  All  the 
bureaus  of  this  department,  with  all  the  duties  and  powers  at- 
tached to  them,  are  directly  under  his  control  as  executive 
head.  They  are  as  follows : — 

The  Bureau  of  Engineering.  The  City  Engineer  has 
charge  of  all  improvements,  the  construction  and  repair  of 
all  bridges  and  viaducts,  and  the  construction  and  repair  of 
other  work  in  the  river  and  harbor,  and  the  construction, 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


87 


maintenance,  and  operation  of  all  city  waterworks,  including 
the  laying  of  all  mains  and  supply  water  pipes. 

The  Division  of  Water-pipe  Extension.  The  Superin- 
tendent of  Water-pipe  Extension  has  special  charge  of  the 
extension  of  the  city’s  water-mains  and  hydrants  and  their 
maintenance. 

The  Division  of  Bridges  and  Viaducts.  This  division  has 
charge  of  the  construction  and  repair  of  all  the  bridges  over 
the  Chicago  River  and  its  branches;  also  of  the  Calumet 
River  and  all  viaducts. 

A Harbor  Master  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor.  He  has 
charge  and  control  of  the  Chicago  harbor,  which  includes 
the  Chicago  River  and  its  branches;  the  Calumet  River; 
the  Ogden  Canal;  all  slips  and  docks  connected  with  the 
rivers ; all  piers  and  basins,  and  the  waters  of  Lake  Michigan 
for  a distance  of  three  miles  from  the  shore  between  the 
north  and  south  limits  of  the  city,  a distance  of  twenty-five 
and  a half  miles. 

The  Harbor  Master  keeps  a record  of  all  damages  caused 
to  bridges  and  docks  by  vessels.  He  controls  the  use  of  all 
the  bridges,  including  railroad  bridges,  which  cross  the  Chi- 
cago River  or  any  of  its  branches,  the  Calumet  River,  and 
the  Drainage  Canal,  within  the  harbor  of  the  city. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  river  tunnels  would  not  permit 
the  passage  of  vessels  of  greater  draft  than  sixteen  feet, 
Chicago  has  lost  much  of  its  lake  traffic,  but  now  that  the 
tunnels  have  been  lowered,  it  is  probable  that  the  Chicago 
harbor  will  experience  a marked  increase  in  its  patronage. 
The  river  is  to  be  dredged  to  a depth  of  twenty-six  feet  in 


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CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNT  £ AND  ILLINOIS 


the  channel,  sixteen  feet  at  the  docks,  while  its  width  is  to 
be  increased  to  two  hundred  feet. 

The  tonnage  of  the  Calumet  alone  now  averages  about 
5,500,000,  or  more  than  one-third  of  the  whole. 

By  action  of  the  City  Council  a Harbor  Commission  is 
now  engaged  in  securing  for  Chicago  greatly  extended 
harbor  facilities. 

Bridges  may  not  be  opened  over  the  Chicago  River,  or  the 
North  Branch,  or  the  South  Branch,  from  Kinzie  Street  to 
Twelfth  Street,  between  the  hours  of  half-past  six  and  half- 
past eight  in  the  morning  and  five  and  seven  in  the  evening, 
except  on  Sundays.  Beyond  these  limits  the  hours  are  from 
six  to  seven  in  the  morning  and  half-past  five  to  half-past 
six  in  the  evening. 

The  bridges  at  Rush  Street,  State  Street,  Dearborn  Street, 
and  Clark  Street  are  opened  to  admit  the  passage  of  pas- 
senger boats  one-half  hour  earlier  in  the  evening  than  the 
hours  above  mentioned. 

No  bridge  may  be  kept  open  longer  than  ten  minutes,  and 
when  closed  must  remain  closed  at  least  ten  minutes. 

A Vessel  Despatcher  is  also  appointed  by  the  Mayor,  who 
keeps  an  accurate  account  of  the  movements  of  all  vessels 
using  the  harbor,  and  controls  their  movements. 

The  Bureau  of  Streets.  The  Superintendent  of  Streets 
has  charge  of  the  improvement  and  repair  of  streets  and 
sidewalks,  except  such  improvements  as  are  made  by  special 
assessment ; street  and  alley  cleaning,  and  the  removal  of 
garbage,  ashes  and  obstructions  of  any  kind  outside  of  the 
building  line. 

If  any  person  wishes  to  obstruct  or  destroy  any  street, 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


89 


sidewalk,  or  alley  temporarily,  he  must  obtain  a permit  from 
this  bureau.  To  do  so,  he  must  submit  a written  estimate 
of  the  cost  of  restoring  the  street,  sidewalk,  or  alley,  with  a 
fair  additional  sum  as  a margin  for  contingent  damages. 
The  City  Collector  then  collects  the  amount  named,  as  a de- 
posit, and  issues  a permit.  If  the  street,  sidewalk,  or  alley 
is  not  restored  forthwith  after  the  work  provided  for  in  the 
permit  has  been  completed,  the  superintendent  has  the  work 
done  by  city  workmen  and  the  cost  is  charged  against  the 
deposit. 

Removal  of  Garbage.  It  is  unlawful  to  place  any  kind 
of  dirt,  solid  or  liquid,  in  any  street,  alley,  or  public  place, 
or  in  the  river  or  lake,  except  under  permit  from  the  city. 
Vessels  for  the  reception  of  such  garbage  must  be  used  in 
all  cases,  water-tight  and  made  of  metal,  with  a close-fitting 
metal  cover,  and  kept  in  a convenient  place  for  a health 
officer  or  scavenger,  employed  and  licensed  by  the  city,  to 
remove  the  garbage  or  ashes.  The  city  pays  $47,500  per 
year  for  the  destruction  of  garbage  under  a contract. 

The  garbage  is  collected  in  wagons  containing  steel  tanks 
and  taken  to  various  stations  on  the  river,  where  the  tanks 
are  hoisted  to  scows,  which  convey  them  to  a great  reduc- 
tion plant  at  Thirty-ninth  and  Iron  Streets.  After  the 
garbage  is  removed,  the  scows  are  sterilized  and  returned  to 
be  reloaded. 

Forty  street-flushing  machines  also  are  used. 

It  is  planned  to  have  the  dirt  from  the  outlying  streets 
conveyed  to  two  loading  platforms,  one  at  Division  and 
Hickory  Streets,  for  the  north  and  northwest  divisions  of 
the  city,  and  one  at  Fifteenth  Place  and  Loomis  Street,  for 


90 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


the  west  and  southwest  divisions  of  the  city,  and  from  there 
carried  by  dump-cars  constructed  for  the  purpose  to  dif- 
erent  portions  of  the  city  which  need  filling. 

Most  of  the  ashes  and  burnt  coal  refuse  is  used  to  fill 
streets  and  alleys  that  are  below  the  grade  in  outlying  sec- 
tions of  the  city.  The  dump-cars  will  be  used  for  hauling 
this  ash  output  as  well  as  the  street  dirt. 

Much  of  the  expense  of  repairing  the  paved  streets  is  paid 
from  the  wheel-tax  fund,  which  amounts  to  about  $450,000 
a year. 

Many  unimproved  streets  are  graded  and  repaired  each 
year,  and  several  miles  of  country  roadways.  For  this  pur- 
pose slag  and  limestone  are  used,  and  sometimes  macadam. 

Rules  of  the  Road.  The  following  rules  apply  to  vehicles, 
but  not  street  cars 

When  a vehicle  overtakes  another,  it  must  pass  on  the  left 
side.  If  the  driver  of  the  vehicle  overtaken  is  requested  to 
do  so,  he  must  turn  to  the  right  in  order  to  make  room  for 
the  other  to  pass  to  the  left,  provided  there  is  not  room  to 
pass  without  such  turning. 

When  two  vehicles  meet,  each  must  turn  to  the  right 
when  it  is  practicable  to  do  so. 

Before  turning  a corner,  a driver  must  raise  his  hand  or 
whip  so  as  to  be  plainly  seen  from  behind  and  the  side 
toward  which  he  is  to  turn,  and  plainly  indicate  the  direction 
in  which  he  is  about  to  go.  He  must  also  take  the  right  of 
the  center  of  intersection  of  the  two  streets,  whether  he 
turns  to  the  right  or  the  left  around  a corner. 

A driver  is  not  allowed  to  stop  in  the  middle  of  a street, 
but  must  drive  to  the  curb  on  the  right,  unless  he  gives  a 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


91 


signal  by  hand  or  whip,  or  calls  out,  plainly  indicating  his 
intention  to  stop. 

No  vehicle  mr.y  be  driven  in  street-car  tracks  unless 
wholly  within  the  rails  of  the  track. 

No  vehicle  may  stop  with  its  left  side  to  the  curb. 

No  vehicle  may  stop  on  a sidewalk  or  a crossing,  or  with- 
in five  feet  of  a crossing,  so  as  to  obstruct  the  passage  of 
pedestrians,  nor  remain  backed  up  to  the  curb,  except  when 
loading  or  unloading. 

A person  riding  or  driving  a horse  frightened  by  an  auto- 
mobile or  motor  cycle  may  require  such  automobile  or  motor 
cycle  to  stop  by  raising  his  hand  as  a signal,  and  such  vehicle 
must  then  remain  stationary  until  the  horse  has  passed. 

Every  carriage  or  wagon,  and  every  bicycle,  tricycle,  or 
motor  cycle  must  have  a light  attached  to  it  at  night,  which 
may  be  plainly  seen. 

No  one  under  sixteen  years  of  age  may  for  hire  ride  in 
the  streets  any  animal  or  propel  any  kind  of  a vehicle,  unless 
provided  with  a permit. 

One  or  two  policemen  are  stationed  at  the  busiest  street 
crossings  in  the  city  to  aid  pedestrians  in  crossing  and  to 
prevent  blockades  of  teams  and  cars.  When  a policeman  at 
one  of  these  crossings  wishes  a team  or  car  to  stop,  he 
raises  his  hand  or  blows  a shrill  whistle.  Street  cars  have 
the  right  of  way  as  against  any  person  or  vehicle. 

Zone  of  Quiet.  A zone  of  quiet  exists  within  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  of  every  hospital  within  the  city,  and  no 
unnecessary  noise  or  playing  of  itinerant  musicians  is  per- 
mitted within  such  zone. 

License  of  Vehicles.  The  annual  license  fee  for  a one- 


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CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


horse  vehicle  is  five  dollars ; for  a two-horse  vehicle,  ten 
dollars;  for  a three-horse  vehicle,  fifteen  dollars;  for  a four- 
horse  vehicle,  twenty-five  dollars;  for  six  or  more  horses, 
thirty-five  dollars;  automobiles  for  two  persons,  twelve 
dollars ; automobiles  for  more  than  two,  twenty  dollars ; 
automobile  trucks,  coaches,  and  busses,  thirty  dollars. 

All  such  licenses  expire  on  April  30th  of  each  year.  The 
fund  thus  created  is  used  for  repairing  streets  and  alleys. 

Distances  in  Chicago.  Madison  and  State  Streets  are 
taken  as  the  base  lines  of  the  city.  North  of  Madison  the 
first  mile  reaches  to  Chicago  Avenue;  the  second  to  North 
Avenue;  the  third  to  Fullerton  Avenue;  the  fourth  to  Bel- 
mont Avenue;  the  fifth  to  Irving  Park  Boulevard;  the  sixth' 
to  Lawrence  Avenue ; the  seventh  to  Bryn  Mawr  Avenue ; 
the  eighth  to  Devon  Avenue;  the  ninth  to  Kenilworth  Ave- 
nue, one-half  mile  south  of  the  city  limits. 

South  of  Madison  Street  the  first  mile  reaches  to  Twelfth 
Street;  the  second  to  Twenty-second  Street;  the  third  to 
Thirty-first  Street ; the  fourth  to  Thirty-ninth  Street ; the 
fifth  to  Forty-seventh  Street;  the  sixth  to  Fifty-fifth  Street; 
the  seventh  to  Sixty-third  Street ; the  eighth  to  Seventy-first 
Street ; the  ninth  to  Seventy-ninth  Street ; the  tenth  to 
Eighty-seventh  Street;  the  eleventh  to  Ninety-fifth  Street; 
the  twelfth  to  One  Hundred  and  Third  Street;  the  thirteenth 
to  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Street ; the  fourteenth  to 
One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth  Street,  which  is  within  two 
and  a half  miles  of  the  city  limits. 

East  of  State  Street,  on  Madison,  the  distance  to  the  lake 
is  about  half  a mile.  This  distance  does  not  vary  much  on 
the  south  till  Thirteenth  Street  is  reached,  when  the  shore 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


93 


line  extends  gradually  farther  into  the  lake,  and  at  Eighty- 
seventh  Street  it  is  four  and  a third  miles  from  State  Street. 

West  of  State,  it  is  one  mile  to  Halsted  Street;  two  to 
Ashland  Avenue;  three  to  Western  Avenue;  four  to  Kedzie 
Avenue;  five  to  Fortieth  Avenue;  six  to  Forty-eighth  Ave- 
nue; seven  to  Central  Park  Avenue,  and  half  a mile  farther 
to  the  city  limits. 

At  points  farther  north  and  south,  the  greatest  width  of 
the  city  is  fourteen  and  a half  miles. 

The  Bureau  of  Sewers.  The  Superintendent  of  Sewers 
has  charge  of  the  construction,  repair,  and  cleaning  of  all 
public  sewers,  manholes,  and  catch-basins,  except  such  as 
are  to  be  paid  for  wholly  or  in  part  by  special  assessment, 
bench  monuments,  and  the  approving  of  street  grades. 

A complete  diagram  is  kept  of  the  network  of  sewers 
which  drain  the  city,  their  total  length  being  1,732.8  miles,  of 
which  644.6  miles  are  constructed  of  brick  and  1,088.2  of 
vitrified  clay  pipe.  These  sewers  are  from  nine  inches  to 
twelve  and  one-half  feet  in  diameter. 

In  Ninety-fifth  Street  a great  system  of  sewers  has  been 
constructed,  which  cost  over  $950,000.  Other  great  sewers 
recently  completed  are  those  on  State  Street  and  Garfield 
Boulevard,  Kedzie  Avenue,  Belmont  Avenue,  and  Western 
Avenue. 

House-Drain  Division.  A corps  of  twenty-seven  in- 
spectors is  employed  to  inspect  house-drains..  For  this  in- 
spection fees  are  collected  which  render  this  division  prac- 
tically self-supporting. 

Division  of  Benches  and  Street  Grades.  Before  the  City 
Council  can  establish  a street  grade,  the  ordinance  fixing 


94 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


such  grade  must  be  approved  by  the  Superintendent  of 
Sewers.  This  work  is  in  charge  of  a Bench  and  Street 
Grade  Engineer. 

Bench  Monuments.  One  hundred  and  fifty  standard 
monuments  have  been  constructed,  mostly  in  the  grass-plats 
between  the  street-curb  and  the  building  line.  They  are  of 
concrete  formation,  forty  inches  square  at  the  base,  sixteen 
inches  square  at  the  top,  and  six  feet  from  bottom  to  top  of 
the  concrete.  An  iron  cover  is  set  on  top  of  the  concrete, 
just  level  with  the  surface  of  the  ground,  or  flush  with  the 
surface  of  the  cement  sidewalk  if  the  walk  extends  out  to 
the  curb.  In  the  center  of  the  top  of  the  concrete  is  set  a 
hardened  copper  rod,  a half-inch  in  diameter  and  two  feet 
long.  The  end  of  the  rod  showing  in  the  top  of  the  concrete 
is  the  bench-point  on  which  the  elevation  of  the  monument 
is  established. 

Ordinarily,  bench-marks  are  located  on  the  water-tables 
of  brick  buildings,  stone  steps,  stone  curbs,  tops  of  hydrants, 
or  by  nails  in  roots  of  trees,  to  show  where  the  leveling- 
staffs  were  placed. 

In  first  establishing  grades  for  streets,  sewers,  etc.,  it  was, 
of  course,  necessary  to  fix  upon  a certain  level  or  height  of 
water  as  the  datum  or  mark  from  which  all  grades  should 
be  determined.  The  datum  chosen  is  supposed  to  have  been 
that  of  low  water  in  1847,  as  shown  on  a stone  water  table 
at  the  southwest  corner  of  Clark  and  South  Water  streets. 

In  1855  the  streets  were  graded  for  the  first  time,  and  this 
low-water  mark  was  used  as  the  starting-point  or  level. 
The  level  of  the  streets  was  fixed  8.47  feet  above  that 
datum,  or  exactly  at  the  top  of  that  table.  The  choice  of 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


95 


what  is  now  known  and  used  as  the  Chicago  datum  seems 
to  have  first  been  made  by  the  Commissioners  of  the  Illinois 
and  Michigan  Canal  in  determining  their  calculations  for 
the  flow  of  water. 

The  Bureau  of  Sewers  has  a system  of  records  and  maps 
by  which  any  ordinance  relative  to  street  grades  at  any 
point  in  the  city,  passed  since  the  great  fire  of  1871,  may  be 
consulted  immediately,  and  full  information  obtained  rela- 
tive to  subsequent  changes  of  grade  at  that  point. 

The  Bureau  of  Maps  and  Plats  prepares  maps  and  plats 
for  all  departments.  It  also  has  charge  of  all  matters  per- 
taining to  street  numbering. 

The  Superintendent  of  Maps  can  tell  you  the  exact  size 
and  location  of  any  lot  within  the  city  limits,  and  also  the 
number  which  should  designate  the  house  on  every  lot, 
whether  the  house  has  been  built  or  not. 

The  Superintendent  of  Maps  is  also  Examiner  of  Sub- 
divisions (ex-officio). 

Street  Numbering.  A recent  revision  of  the  street  num- 
bers establishes  two  base  lines,  namely,  State  Street,  run- 
ning north  and  south,  and  Madison  Street,  running  east  and 
west.  All  numbers  begin  at  the  intersection  of  these  two 
streets,  and  continue  to  the  limits  of  the  city  in  four  di- 
rections. On  streets  running  east  and  west  the  first  number 
and  all  odd  numbers  are  on  the  south  side  of  the  street ; 
on  streets  running  north  and  south,  the  odd  numbers  are  on 
the  east  side  of  the  street. 

All  named  streets  which  are  open  on  each  side  of  either 
of  the  base  lines  bear  the  prefixes  North,  South,  East,  or 
West,  according  to  their  location.  All  numbered  streets. 


96 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


such  as  Twenty-second  Street,  Forty-eighth  Avenue,  etc., 
bear  the  prefixes  North,  South,  East,  or  West,  according  to 
their  location,  whether  open  on  each  side  of  either  of  the 
base  lines  or  not. 

In  every  part  of  the  city,  except  within  the  three  miles 
between  Madison  and  Thirty-first  Streets,  eight  hundred 
numbers  are  given  to  a mile;  between  Madison  and  Twelfth 
Streets,  eighteen  hundred  numbers;  between  Twelfth  and 
Twenty-second  Streets,  one  thousand  numbers.  Between 
Twenty-second  and  Thirty-first  Streets,  nine  hundred  num- 
bers are  assigned. 

The  number  800,  therefore,  on  any  east  and  west  street  in 
the  city,  indicates  exactly  one  mile  east  or  west  of  State 
Street ; the  number  800  west  being  at  Halsted  Street,  and 
800  east  at  Cottage  Grove  Avenue. 

The  next  mile  limit  west  of  Halsted  is  Ashland  Avenue, 
at  1600,  etc.  On  the  North  Side,  Chicago  Avenue  marks 
the  eight-hundred  limit,  or  one  mile;  North  Avenue  the 
sixteen-hundred,  or  two  miles,  etc.  On  the  South  Side,  the 
numbers  of  the  houses  correspond  with  the  street  names; 
that  is,  5700  on  any  north  and  south  street  is  at  Fifty- 
seventh  Street.  The  highest  number  on  the  north  is  7600; 
on  the  south,  13800;  on  the  east,  4000;  on  the  west,  7200. 

The  Bureau  of  Architecture  prepares  plans  and  super- 
vises the  construction  of  buildings  for  all  the  departments 
except  those  for  schools,  which  are  designed  by  the  architect 
of  the  Board  of  Education.  He  gives  special  attention  to 
the  architecture  of  pumping-stations  and  buildings  for  the 
Health,  Police,  and  Fire  departments,  the  Special  Park  Com- 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


97 


mission,  the  House  of  Correction,  and  Water-pipe  Ex- 
tension. 

The  Bureau  of  Water.  The  Superintendent  of  the  Water 
Bureau  has  special  charge  of  the  collection  of  water  assess- 
ments and  rates.  If  the  water  tax,  which  is  payable  every 
six  months,  is  not  paid  within  sixty  days  after  it  is  due,  the 
water  may  be  shut  off. 

The  amount  of  water  tax  is  determined  from  the  archi- 
tect’s plans,  which  must  be  shown  when  the  building  permit 
is  issued,  these  plans  showing  the  number  of  water  faucets 
to  be  placed  in  the  building.  The  average  tax  for  an  eight- 
room  residence  is  $8.93  net,  after  fifteen  per  cent  has  been 
deducted  for  prompt  payment. 

The  Bureau  of  Compensation.  The  Chief  Clerk  of  this 
bureau  has  charge  of  issuing  permits  for  using  streets, 
alleys,  or  public  grounds,  also  underground  space. 

The  Accounting  Division.  It  is  the  business  of  the 
Chief  Accountant  to  keep  accurate  accounts  of  all  moneys 
appropriated  for  and  expended  by  each  bureau  and  division 
of  the  department,  and  report  the  same  annually  in  detail  to 
the  Commissioner. 

The  Department  of  Track  Elevation.  The  Commis- 
sioner of  Track  Elevation  frames  ordinances  for  the  eleva- 
tion of  steam  surface-roads  in  Chicago. 

By  various  ordinances  since  1892,  the  railroad  companies 
have  been  required  to  elevate  their  tracks  within  a certain 
time  designated  by  the  ordinance,  and  this  work  is  still  go- 
ing forward  at  an  enormous  expense.  But  as  great  as  the 
expense  is,  it  is  justified  by  the  remarkable  reduction  in  the 
number  of  accidents  at  grade  crossings. 


98 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


In  1899  there  were  25,503  deaths  in  Chicago,  which  was 
15.7  per  thousand  of  population;  the  fatal  accidents  at 
grade  crossings  were  113,  the  rate  per  thousand,  69. 

In  1908  the  total  deaths  were  30,548,  or  14.1  per  thousand 
of  population ; the  fatal  accidents  at  grade  crossings  only 
20,  and  the  rate  per  thousand,  9. 

In  1899  the  deaths  at  grade  crossings  were  .44  per  cent 
of  the  deaths  of  all  classes;  in  1908,  only  .07  per  cent. 

The  non-fatal  accidents  at  grade  crossings  in  1899  were 
169,  or  104  per  thousand  of  population;  in  1908,  27,  or  12 
per  thousand. 

The  total  number  of  accidents  in  1899  was  282,  or  173 
per  million  of  population;  in  1908  the  total  was  47,  or  21 
per  million. 

These  figures  are  convincing,  and  constitute  a most  re- 
markable revelation. 

This  department  exists  at  the  pleasure  of  the  Mayor,  not 
having  been  established  by  ordinance,  like  the  other  city  de- 
partments. The  Mayor  also  appoints  a special  committee  to 
work  with  the  Commissioner. 

The  Department  of  Local  Transportation.  A Local 
Transportation  Expert  is  appointed  by  the  Mayor,  and  he 
may  appoint  such  assistants  as  the  Council  may  provide  for. 
He  is  virtually  the  agent  of  the  Council  Committee  on  Local 
Transportation.  It  is  his  duty  to  study  the  conditions  of 
local  transportation,  and  enforce  the  ordinances  relative 
to  service  by  the  companies.  He  receives  complaints 
from  citizens,  and  takes  such  action  as  the  case  may  war- 
rant. The  things  he  looks  after  are  such  as  accidents 
and  their  causes ; heating,  cleaning,  and  ventilation  of 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


99 


cars ; deportment  of  train  crews ; spitting  in  the  cars ; 
danger  at  crossings;  convenient  transfer  points;  sufficient 
supply  of  cars;  flat  wheels  and  dilapidated  cars;  fenders, 
and  many  similar  things  connected  with  both  the  elevated 
and  surface  car  service. 

Chicago  was  the  first  city  in  the  United  States  to  intro- 
duce the  pay-as-you-enter  car,  and  now  has  more  than 
fifteen  hundred  of  these  cars,  with  more  ordered. 

The  Board  of  Local  Improvements  was  created  by  the 
legislature  in  1897.  It  consists  of  five  members,  who  are 
appointed  by  the  Mayor  and  approved  by  the  Council. 

When  this  board  or  any  citizen  wishes  to  have  local 
improvements  made,  payment  for  which  must  be  made 
wholly  or  in  part  by  special  assessment  or  tax,  certain 
proceedings  are  ne*cessary,  except  in  the  case  of  sidewalks, 
sewer  extensions,  and  water  service  pipe  or  house  drain. 
Ordinances  for  such  work  must  originate  with  this  board. 

After  all  the  property-owners  have  paid  their  assessments 
for  an  improvement,  if  there  is  any  money  left  in  the  in- 
terest reserve  it  is  returned  to  the  property-owners  who 
paid  the  assessment.  As  soon  as  rebate  is  declared,  postal 
notices  are  sent  to  the  property-owners,  and  vouchers  issued 
to  them  when  they  bring  in  their  receipts.  During  the  year 
1909  about  twenty-five  thousand  notices  of  rebates  and  re- 
funds were  mailed,  and  approximately  $235,000  was  paid  out 
to  the  property-owners  for  rebates  and  refunds. 

If  private  property  is  to  be  taken  or  damaged,  the  board 
must  publish  a description  of  the  property  in  question,  in 
connection  with  a call  for  a public  hearing  at  a specified 
day  and  hour,  not  less  than  ten  days  after  the  board  has 


100 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


adopted  a resolution  to  proceed  with  the  improvement.  The 
estimated  cost  of  the  improvement  must  be  contained  in  the 
resolution.  At  the  time  of  the  meeting,  the  whole  matter 
may  be  publicly  discussed,  after  which  the  board  may  pro- 
ceed according  to  its  own  judgment.  If  it  decides  to  make 
the  improvement,  it  prepares  and  presents  an  ordinance 
therefor  for  adoption  by  the  Council. 

The  board  organizes  its  own  bureaus  as  follows : — 

Law  Department.  Bureau  of  Streets  and 

Bureau  of  Special  Assess-  Alleys. 

ments.  Bureau  of  Water. 

Bureau  of  Sidewalks.  Bureau  of  Sewers. 

Sidewalks.  By  computation  from  the  prices  paid  by  the 
city  for  different  kinds  of  sidewalks,  it  appears  that  cement 
walks  cost  about  thirteen  cents  per  square  foot ; cinder 
walks  about  thirty-six  cents  per  lineal  foot.  The  standard 
width  of  the  walks  is  six  feet.  Most  walks  are  laid  by  pri- 
vate contracts,  but  they  are  supervised  and  inspected  by  the 
Board  of  Local  Improvements. 

The  Department  of  Electricity.  The  City  Electrician 
is  appointed  by  the  Mayor  and  approved  by  the  Council. 
He  has  charge  of  the  construction,  repair,  and  maintenance 
of  the  city’s  electric,  gas,  and  gasoline  lights,  the  power 
plants,  and  the  police  and  fire-alarm  telegraphs. 

The  Fire  Marshal  has  control  of  the  fire-alarm  oper- 
ators and  the  location  of  the  fire-alarm  boxes. 

The  City  Electrician  consults  with  the  Superintendent  of 
Police  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  operation  of  the  electric 
service  of  the  Police  Department. 

All  of  the  current  used  in  municipal  lighting  is  taken 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


101 


from  the  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago.  This  power  is  less 
expensive  than  that  of  steam.  It  is  expected  that  the  whole 
city  will  be  lighted  by  electricity  at  an  early  day. 

FIozv  to  Give  a Fire  Alarm.  Every  person  should  be  ac- 
quainted with  the  means  of  giving  an  alarm  of  fire,  for  no 
one  can  tell  when  or  where  a fire  may  break  out. 

The  best,  and  probably  the  quickest,  means  of  notifying 
the  Fire  Department,  if  you  are  not  near  a fire-alarm  box, 
is  by  use  of  the  telephone.  Every  telephone  should  have 
near  it  a card  giving  the  telephone  number  of  the  Fire  De- 
partment, which  is  Main  0.  The  telephone  call  for  police  is 
Main  13. 

If  a telephone  is  not  available,  or  you  are  near  a fire- 
alarm  box  (which  is  always  red  in  Chicago,  and  attached 
to  a lamp-post,  telegraph  pole,  or  some  such  support),  run 
at  once  to  this  box.  Outside  of  it  you  will  observe  a handle  ; 
turn  this  handle  until  the  box  opens.  A shrill  bell  will  be 
rung  when  the  handle  is  turned,  and  if  a policeman  is  within 
hearing,  he  will  run  to  your  aid. 

Inside  of  the  box  you  will  see  a hook ; pull  this  vigorously 
and  let  go  suddenly.  This  gives  an  alarm  at  the  Central 
Station,  from  which  an  alarm  is  sent  to  the  fire-engine  house 
nearest  you.  The  firemen  will  then  appear  within  a few 
minutes. 

The  Bureau  of  Fire-Alarm  Telegraph.  One  Chief  Op- 
erator, with  a dozen  or  more  operators  and  assistant-oper- 
ators, thirty-five  or  forty  repair  men,  line-men,  and  assist- 
ant repairers,  perform  the  work  of  this  bureau.  The  re- 
pairers are  never  called  on  for  electric-light  service  except 
in  emergency.  Their  duties  are  to  repair  all  fire  and  police- 


102 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


alarm  telegraph  circuits  and  instruments  and  all  municipal 
telephone  apparatus. 

The  Bureau  of  Police-Alarm  Telegraph.  Through  the 
police  patrol  boxes  and  telephones  policemen  in  every  pre- 
cinct report  to  the  Central  Station,  thus  keeping  that  station 
constantly  informed  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  every  patrol- 
man in  the  city  every  hour  of  the  day  and  night. 

How  to  Call  a Policeman.  A key  to  each  alarm-box  is 
kept  in  some  drug-store,  or  public  place  near  by,  and  when 
a policeman  or  a patrol-wagon  is  wanted,  this  key  can  be 
used  to  open  the  signal-box.  Inside  this  box  is  a dial  with 
ten  spaces.  On  each  space  is  a word,  such  as  “Accident,” 
“Drunkard,”  “Fire,”  “Murder,”  “Riot,”  “Burglar,”  etc.,  in- 
dicating the  reason  for  calling  the  police.  The  indicator, 
turned  to  any  one  of  these  words,  and  there  left,  gives  an 
alarm  at  the  nearest  police-station,  and  a patrol-wagon  im- 
mediately responds. 

A key  may  be  procured  by  any  citizen,  to  be  kept  at  his 
home,  if  he  thinks  he  may  have  occasion  to  call  the  police. 

The  Bureau  of  Electrical  Inspection.  The  Chief  Elec- 
trical Inspector  has  charge  of  inspecting  the  telegraph  and 
telephone  wires  in  theaters,  halls,  churches,  schoolhouses, 
etc.,  and  above,  beneath,  and  upon  the  surface  of  the  street. 
He  has  power  to  order  modern  wiring  to  be  installed,  even 
in  office  buildings,  department  stores,  factories,  etc.  The 
object  is  to  prevent  the  outbreak  of  fires  caused  by  faulty 
wiring.  The  electric  signs  on  buildings  also  are  inspected 
by  this  department.  A fee  is  charged  for  each  inspection. 

The  Bureau  of  Gas  Inspection.  The  Gas  Inspector  is 
appointed  by  the  Mayor,  with  the  approval  of  the  Council. 
He  examines  and  tests  any  gas  meter  furnished  to  any  con- 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


103 


sumer  of  gas,  whenever  requested  to  do  so.  The  cost  for 
inspection  is  paid  by  the  gas  company  if  the  meter  is  found 
to  register  too  much,  otherwise  by  the  consumer.  The  re- 
quired fee  of  one  dollar  must  be  deposited  in  advance  by 
the  consumer. 

It  is  the  business  of  the  Gas  Inspector  to  keep  the  street 
lamps  in  order.  A large  part  of  the  cost  of  keeping  them  in 
order  is  due  to  the  breaking  of  the  lamp  globes,  either  ma- 
liciously or  by  accident,  by  boys  and  others.  The  loss  to 
the  city  from  this  unnecessary  source  amounts  to  nearly 
twelve  thousand  dollars  a year. 

The  streets  signs  are  kept  in  place  by  the  Gas  Inspector. 

By  an  ordinance  passed  February  3,  1909,  the  Gas  In- 
spector is  required  to  test,  or  cause  to  be  tested,  the  gas 
furnished  to  consumers  in  the  city.  Such  gas  must  have  an 
illuminating  power  of  not  less  than  twenty-two  candle 
power,  and  the  pressure  at  the  meter  must  not  be  less  than 
one  and  one-half  inches  of  water.  The  penalty  for  furnish- 
ing gas  below  the  standard  is  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
dollars  for  each  offense,  or  each  day ; and  for  neglect  or 
refusal  to  comply  with  the  ordinance  referred  to  is  from 
fifty  dollars  to  two  hundred  dollars  for  each  offense.  After 
February  13,  1912,  no  consumer  may  be  supplied  with  gas 
having  more  than  one  hundred  per  cent  fluctuation  in  pres- 
sure above  the  minimum  pressure  at  the  inlet  of  the  meter. 

The  Bureau  of  Electrical  Construction  and  Maintenance. 
This  bureau  has  charge  of  all  the  city’s  electrical  construc- 
tion and  reconstruction  work  outside  of  the  stations. 

The  Board  of  Automobile  Registry.  On  and  after  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1910,  the  chauffeur,  or  operator,  of  any  automobile 


104 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


used  for  hire  in  the  city  must  hold  a license  obtained  from 
the  Board  of  Automobile  Registry.  The  board  consists  of 
the  City  Electrician,  the  Commissioner  of  Health,  and  the 
City  Engineer;  the  City  Electrician  being  chairman.  Ex- 
aminations for  license  are  held  by  tbe  board  at  least  two 
days  each  month,  and  as  often  as  necessary. 

To  obtain  a license  it  is  necessary  for  tbe  applicant  to 
have  free  and  full  use  of  both  arms,  hands,  legs,  and  feet, 
and  be  not  less  than  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  must  have 
good  eyesight,  and  if  he  wears  glasses,  they  must  be  securely 
fastened  to  his  head  whenever  he  is  operating  his  automo- 
bile. He  must  also  have  good  hearing,  must  be  free  from 
epilepsy,  and  not  addicted  to  the  excessive  use  of  any  in- 
toxicating liquor  or  drug.  He  must  be  familiar  with  the 
details  of  construction  and  operation  of  his  automobile, 
which  must  be  described  fully  to  the  board,  also  have  an 
acquaintance  with  the  streets  of  Chicago  and  the  state  and 
city  laws  governing  the  use  of  automobiles  and  the  use  of 
public  highways,  and  must  be  endorsed  by  two  responsible 
citizens  of  Chicago. 

The  license  fee  is  three  dollars,  and  is  good  for  one  year; 
but  the  license  may  be  renewed  from  year  to  year  by  the 
payment  of  two  dollars  each  time  it  is  renewed.  A badge 
is  supplied  with  the  license,  and  this  must  be  worn  on  the 
outside  of  the  outside  coat.  The  operator  must  file  a bond 
with  the  City  Comptroller  in  the  sum  of  two  hundred 
dollars. 

The  maximum  speed  at  which  an  automobile  may  be 
driven  on  a street  or  in  an  alley  is  ten  miles  an  hour,  but  in 
turning  a corner,  the  speed  must  not  exceed  four  miles. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


105 


Every  automobile  must  be  supplied  with  strong  brakes, 
an  alarm  bell  or  gong,  and  one  or  more  lighted  lamps  at 
night. 

A person  holding  a license  as  operator  of  an  automobile 
may  not  operate  any  other  kind  of  auto-car  than  the  one 
specifically  described  in  his  license;  if  he  does  so,  he  is  sub- 
ject to  a fine  of  not  less  than  five  dollars  nor  more  than  one 
hundred  dollars  for  each  offense. 

The  license  fee  for  a motor  bicycle  or  motor  tricycle  is 
three  dollars. 

The  management  of  an  automobile  on  the  crowded  streets 
of  a city  like  Chicago  should  be  entrusted  only  to  a most 
careful  and  experienced  operator.  Persons  who  are  on  the 
streets  every  day  become  accustomed  to  dodging  vehicles 
at  street  crossings,  but  there  are  always  many  other  per- 
sons who  easily  become  confused  and  do  not  escape  from 
danger  when  they  might.  Even  the  crossing,  policemen  find 
difficulty  in  preventing  collisions  and  accidents.  There  is 
great  need,  therefore,  of  extreme  care  on  the  part  of  the 
chauffeur. 

Bureau  of  Information  and  Publicity.  A new  bureau 
was  created  January  10,  1910,  called  the  Bureau  of  Infor- 
mation and  Publicity.  It  is  entirely  under  civil  service 
rules.  The  head  of  the  bureau  is  called  Commissioner  and 
a second  officer  is  called  Chief  Statistician,  both  appointed 
by  the  Mayor. 

It  is  the  Commissioner’s  duty  to  keep  track  of  the  doings 
and  compile  statistics  of  every  department  of  the  city  gov- 
ernment, and  to  collect  and  compile  information  relative  to 
the  conditions  and  activities  of  other  municipalities. 

The  Chief  Statistician  acts  as  municipal  librarian. 


106 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  Municipal  Library  comprises  all  reports  printed  or 
published  by  the  city  or  any  of  its  departments.  This  library 
now  contains  fifteen  thousand  books  and  pamphlets,  many  of 
which  are  of  great  value  because  of  their  rarity. 

The  City  Markets.  There  are  two  marketplaces  over 
which  the  city  exercises  supervision — one  on  West  Randolph 
Street  and  one  on  Dayton  Street,  North  Avenue,  and  Cly- 
bourn  Avenue.  A superintendent  is  appointed  for  each  by 
the  Mayor.  For  every  one-horse  wagon  used  in  one  of 
these  markets  for  selling  produce  a fee  of  ten  cents  a day 
must  be  paid;  for  every  double  team,  a fee  of  fifteen  cents. 

These  markets  are  open  every  day  in  the  week  except 
Sunday — that  on  Randolph  Street  from  4 a.  m.  till  10  a.  m.  ; 
that  on  Dayton  Street  from  4 till  8 A.  m. 

Poundmasters.  The  city  is  divided  into  seven  dis- 
tricts, for  each  of  whom  the  Mayor  appoints  a Pound- 
master.  The  location  of  each  pound  is  designated  by  the 
City  Comptroller.  It  is  the  duty  of  each  poundmaster  to 
impound  any  animal  running  at  large.  Any  person  over 
eighteen  years  of  age  may  take  such  animals  to  the  pound 
and  receive  a fee  of  fifty  cents  for  each  animal  impounded 
by  him. 

Commission  for  Inquiring  into  City  Expenditures.  By 

authority  of  the  City  Council,  the  Mayor  appointed,  in  1909, 
a Commission  of  nine  persons  for  the  purpose  of  inquiring 
into  the  expenditures  of  the  city  and  making  recommenda- 
tions to  the  Mayor  and  Council  upon  this  subject.  This 
Commission  is  still  at  work  (January,  1910). 

Municipal  Efficiency  Commission.  The  growth  of  Chi- 
cago has  been  so  rapid,  and  the  departments  and  bureaus 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO  107 

of  government  have  been  so  much  multiplied  by  reason  of 
the  increased  growth,  that  great  confusion  in  carrying  on 
the  work  has  arisen,  resulting  in  duplicating  expenses  and 
lack  of  harmony. 

By  authority  of  the  Council,  the  Mayor  appointed  a spe- 
cial commission  of  ten  members  early  in  1909  to  study  the 
organization  of  the  city  government  and  recommend  such 
changes  as  they  might  think  would  contribute  to  greater 
efficiency  and  economy.  There  are  about  sixteen  thousand 
employees  connected  with  the  departments  centering  in  the 
City  Hall,  and  more  than  ninety-eight  per  cent  of  these  are 
in  the  classified  service. 

The  report  of  this  Commission,  which  will  probably  be 
adopted  in  the  main,  will  greatly  simplify  and  unify  the 
various  departments  and  bureaus. 

Chicago  Harbor  Commission.  In  January,  1908,  the 
City  Council  provided  for  the  creation  of  a special  Harbor 
Commission  of  five  members  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
comprehensive  study  of  the  conditions  and  needs  of  the 
Chicago  harbor,  with  a view  to  reporting  to  the  Council 
any  recommendations  as  to  the  harbor,  and  railway  terminal 
and  park  plans  along  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  lying 
between  Twelfth  Street  and  Jackson  Park.  The  Mayor 
was  empowered  to  appoint  the  members  of  this  commission, 
which  he  did,  and  extensive  improvements  are  now  about 
to  be  made  in  accordance  with  its  recommendations. 

THE  EOARD  OF  EDUCATION 

The  Board  of  Education,  though  an  independent  corpora- 
tion, is  yet  a part  of  the  municipal  government,  and  as  such 


108 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


its  employees  fall  under  the  provisions  of  the  civil  service 
act,  the  Board  of  Education  having  the  power  to  examine 
its  own  employees. 

The  board  consists  of  twenty-one  members,  who  are  ap- 
pointed by  the  Mayor,  seven  each  year.  Its  regular  meet- 
ings are  held  on  alternate  Wednesday  afternoons.  The  work 
of  the  board  is  done  mainly  through  the  following  standing- 
committees  : — 

School  Management,  meeting  every  alternate  Thursday,  at 
4 p.  M. 

Buildings  and  Grounds,  meeting  every  Friday  at  2:30  p.  m. 
Finance,  meeting  every  alternate  Tuesday,  at  4 p.  m. 

The  School  Superintendents.  The  superintendents  com- 
prise the  following : — 

One  General  Superintendent. 

One  First  Assistant  Superintendent. 

Two  Assistant  Superintendents. 

Ten  District  Superintendents. 

A Superintendent  of  Compulsory  Education. 

A Superintendent  of  the  Parental  School. 

Supervisors  of  Physical  Culture,  Manual  Training,  House- 


hold Arts,  and  the  Blind. 

A Director  of  Child  Study  and  Pedagogical  Investigation' 

A Department  of  Examination. 

Special  Teachers  of  Singing  and  Drawing  in  Elementary 
Schools. 

The  general  offices  are  open  from  9 a.  m.  till  5 p.  m.  ; on 
Saturdays,  till  12  m.  The  President’s  hours  are  from  2 to 
6 p.  m.  ; the  Business  Manager’s,  from  4 to  5 p.  m,  ; the 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


109 


Superintendent’s,  Tuesdays,  Wednesdays  and  Thursdays, 
2 to  4 p.  m.;  Saturdays,  9 to  12  m.  Most  of  the  other 
Superintendents  and  Supervisors,  from  4 to  5 P.  M.,  and 
from  9 to  12  m.  on  Saturdays. 

The  Public  Schools  of  the  city  include : Chicago 

Teachers’  College,  Carter  Practice  School.  Harrison  Prac- 
tice School,  Parker  Practice  School,  Chicago  Parental 
School,  John  Worthy  School  (House  of  Correction),  six- 
teen high  schools,  two  hundred  and  fifty-eight  elementary 
schools,  three  technical  high  schools,  fourteen  manual  train- 
ing high  schools,  and  the  Lucy  L.  Flower  Technical  High 
School  for  Girls,  first  opened  in  September,  1911. 

The  first  two  years  of  technical  work  for  boys  is  now 
offered  in  all  the  high  schools,  and  two  years  more,  with  two 
years  of  graduate  work,  may  be  had  in  the  three  technical 
high  schools. 

Manual  training  is  taught  in  205  different  schools  in  all ; 
household  arts  in  123.  The  deaf  receive  special  instruction 
in  twelve  of  the  elementary  schools  and  in  the  Normal 
Practice  School ; and  the  blind  in  three  elementary  schools. 
Crippled  children  receive  special  attention  in  all  the  schools. 

Free  Evening  Schools  are  open  two  hours  each  evening, 
four  evenings  in  a week,  usually  for  twenty  weeks,  for 
graded  and  high-school  pupils.  A large  part  of  the  work 
done  in  the  evening  schools  consists  in  teaching  the  English 
language  to  adult  persons  of  foreign  birth. 

Any  child  fourteen  years  of  age  or  over,  leaving  school  to 
work,  may  continue  his  studies  in  the  evening  schools,  and 
on  completing  them  may  receive  a diploma  of  graduation 
from  the  grammar  or  the  high-school  course,  as  the  case 
may  be. 


110 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Technical  Continuation  High  Schools.  Instruction  is 
offered  in  the  three  Technical  High  Schools  and  in  one 
Central  Continuation  High  School,  with  a view  of  fitting 
students  to  enter  into  business  positions. 

The  high  school  is  sometimes  called  “the  people’s  college.” 
It  is  where  the  older  children,  who  are  beginning  to  realize 
their  place  in  the  community,  find  themselves  side  by  side 
with  others  from  homes  widely  differing  in  character  and 
privilege.  It  is  the  best  expression  of  the  purely  democratic 
character  of  our  institutions.  In  Chicago,  unfortunately, 
there  has  been  a tendency  to  destroy  this  democratic  char- 
acter of  the  high  school  by  separating  the  lines  of  work  and 
developing  them  in  special  schools,  like  technical,  commer- 
cial, classical,  etc.,  but  of  late  public  attention  has  been 
called  to  the  justice  of  giving  all  classes  the  same  advan- 
tages, and  the  differentiation  of  the  schools  is  not  likely  to 
be  carried  further. 

Normal  Extension  Classes  are  maintained  in  several 
places  in  the  city  for  the  benefit  of  teachers  in  public  or 
private  schools  who  wish  to  obtain  promotional  credits. 

Business  Management.  The  business  of  the  Board  of 
Education  is  attended  to  by  a Secretary,  who  is  also  Gen- 
eral Business  Manager,  an  Auditor,  an  Architect,  a Chief 
Engineer,  and  an  Attorney.  Each  of  these  has  his  own 
assistant. 

Text-books  are  furnished  free  to  pupils  whose  parents 
are  too  poor  to  purchase  them ; all  others  are  sold  by 
dealers  at  prices  uniform  throughout  the  city,  by  agreement 
with  publishers  when  the  books  are  adopted. 

The  Business  Manager  has  charge  of  the  engineers  and 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


111 


janitors  with  reference  to  the  cleanliness  of  the  school 
buildings  and  grounds. 

He  also  attends  to  matters  pertaining  to  the  selection  and 
acquiring  of  school  sites  under  the  eminent  domain  law. 
He  receives  proposals  for  the  erection  of  new  buildings, 
and  has  charge  of  the  deposits  made  in  connection  with  such 
proposals. 

The  schoolrooms  are  ventilated  as  far  as  possible  so  as 
to  give  each  pupil  thirty  cubic  feet  of  fresh  air  per  minute. 
The  seats  are  all  located,  when  practicable,  so  as  to  have 
the  light  come  from  the  left  side. 

The  forenoon  session  is  from  nine  o’clock  to  a quarter  of 
twelve;  the  afternoon  session,  from  half-past  one  o’clock  to 
half-past  three. 

The  School  Census.  Every  year  the  state  appropriates 
$300,000  for  school  purposes.  In  order  that  this  money  may 
be  distributed  equitably,  a school  census  is  required  to  be 
taken  every  year  to  determine  the  number  of  children  of 
school  age.  In  Chicago,  however,  the  census  is  taken  only 
once  in  two  years,  and  usually  in  May. 

According  to  the  school  census  of  1910,  there  were  401 
persons  in  Chicago  under  twenty-one  years  of  age  and 
twelve  or  over  who  could  neither  read  nor  write. 

There  were  29,569  children  between  sixteen  and  twenty- 
one  years  of  age  attending  the  public  schools ; 20,086  attend- 
ing other  schools,  and  121,648  not  attending  any  school  for 
thirty  days;  making  a total  of  171,303. 

There  were  248  who  were  blind,  and  523  who  were  deaf. 

* 

In  private  schools  there  were  2,667  teachers  and  103,255 

pupils. 


112 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  census  showed  814,115  children  under  twenty-one 
years  of  age;  of  this  number  557,386,  or  more  than  two- 
thirds,  were  not  born  of  American  fathers. 

Compulsory  Education.  A Superintendent  of  Compul- 
sory Education,  with  about  forty  truant  officers,  is  ap- 
pointed to  see  that  all  children  between  the  ages  of  seven 
and  fourteen,  who  do  not  go  to  some  private  school,  are  in 
attendance  at  the  public  schools ; also  those  between  the 
ages  of  fourteen  and  sixteen,  if  they  are  not  engaged  at 
work. 

The  Vacation  Schools  are  not  under  the  direct  manage- 
ment of  the  Board  of  Education,  but  the  board  contributes 
liberally  toward  their  support.  The  schools  are  usually 
open  for  about  five  weeks  in  July  and  August.  More  than 
six  thousand  children  eagerly  seek  for  admission  to  cthese 
schools.  The  teachers  employed  must  be  eligible  to  appoint- 
ment in  the  city  schools.  The  total  cost  of  these  schools  is 
about  $25,000  per  year. 

THE  JUDICIAL  BRANCH 

The  Municipal  Court.  The  Municipal  Court  com- 
prises one  Chief  Justice  and  twenty-seven  Associate  Justices. 

For  convenience  the  city  is  divided  into  two  districts,  the 
first  comprising  that  part  of  the  city  north  of  Seventy-first 
Street  and  west  of  Cottage  Grove  Avenue,  with  a popula- 
tion of  about  2,400,000;  the  second  that  part  of  the  city 
south  of  Seventy-first  Street  and  east  of  Cottage  Grove 
Avenue,  with  a population  of  about  100,000. 

In  the  first  district  there  are  now  eighteen  branch  civil 
courts,  all  located  in  the  City  Hall.  There  are  also 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


113 


thirteen  criminal  branches  of  this  court  in  the  first  district, 
located  in  different  parts  of  the  district. 

VARIOUS  CITY  ORDINANCES 

The  ordinances  of  the  city  provide  very  definitely,  ex- 
plicitly, and  in  detail  for  the  preservation  of  the  public 
health,  the  neat  appearance  of  the  streets,  the  protection  of 
life  and  property,  and  the  decent  and  orderly  conduct  of  all 
persons  within  the  city,  and  every  child  and  adult  should 
take  care  to  respect  the  rights  and  privileges  of  others,  and 
the  observance  of  law  and  order  at  all  times.  If  there  is 
any  doubt  as  to  one’s  privileges  in  any  respect,  the  best  way 
is  to  consult  the  City  Code,  for  it  is  very  full  and  com- 
prehensive, and  it  is  likely  that  any  questionable  act  is  pro- 
hibited by  the  imposition  of  a fine. 

For  example,  one  may  not  kill  any  bird  within  the  city ; 
distribute  handbills  or  circulars  in  any  public  place ; spit  on 
the  sidewalks ; remove  sod  from  any  public  lot ; engage  in 
any  game  or  show,  either  in  a public  place,  or  in  a public 
window,  or  on  private  premises,  which  causes  persons  to 
assemble  and  obstruct  the  public  passageway ; throw  any 
stone  or  other  missile  in  a street  or  alley,  or  fly  a kite  in  any 
street  or  public  place.  Many  other  things  which  might  in 
some  way  interfere  with  the  rights  or  privileges  of  others, 
or  cause  personal  harm  of  any  kind,  are  forbidden. 

Cruelty  to  Animals.  A person  guilty  of  cruelty  to  anv 
animal  is  subject  to  a fine  of  from  three  dollars  to  one  .hun- 
dred dollars.  Cruelty  may  consist  in  overloading,  over- 
driving, or  cruelly  beating  a horse,  or  in  underfeeding  or 
neglecting  it. 


114 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Bill-posting.  It  is  unlawful  to  post  bills  or  advertise- 
ments of  any  kind  on  the  curbstones  or  sidewalks,  or  on 
any  tree,  lamp-post,  hitching-post,  pole,  hydrant,  bridge, 
pier,  or  any  other  structure  within  the  limits  of  the  street; 
or  on  any  private  wall,  window,  door,  gate,  fence,  or  any 
other  private  structure,  without  the  written  consent  of  the 
owner,  agent,  or  lessee. 

A state  law  prohibits  the  erection  of  any  billboard  within 
five  hundred  feet  of  parks  and  boulevards. 

It  is  unlawful  to  post  any  advertisement  of  certain  medi- 
cines or  remedies  for  curing  certain  specified  diseases  in 
any  place  within  the  city,  where  it  can  be  seen  from  streets, 
alleys,  or  other  public  places.  It  is  also  unlawful  to  post 
pictures  or  illustrations  of  an  obscene  or  immoral  character 
in  such  public  places. 

Blasting.  Before  one  may  fire  a blast  within  the  city, 
a permit  must  be  obtained  and  a bond  given  of  $10,000  to 
protect  the  lives  and  property  of  citizens  in  the  vicinity. 
Furthermore,  the  blast  must  be  covered  so  that  all  danger 
to  persons  and  property  shall  be  absolutely  prevented. 
Three  minutes  before  the  firing,  a red  flag  must  be  displayed 
on  a staff  not  less  than  ten  feet  high,  conspicuous  within 
twenty-five  feet  of  the  place  where  the  charge  is  placed,  and 
the  words  “A  Blast”  must  be  called  out  several  times,  loud 
enough  to  be  distinctly  heard  two  hundred  feet  from  the 
point  of  discharge. 

Amusements.  To  regulate  and  license  theatrical,  dra- 
matic, and  operatic  entertainments,  shows,  field-games,  etc., 
these  forms  of  amusement  are  divided  into  sixteen  classes, 
and  each  class  is  required  to  pay  a special  license  fee,  except 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO 


115 


when  they  are  presented  in  a duly  licensed  theater,  opera 
house,  or  hall. 

There  are  also  special  regulations  for  the  sale  of  theater 
tickets  by  scalpers,  and  in  hotels. 

Other  Ordinances.  It  is  violation  of  an  ordinance  to 
spit  on  floors  and  platforms  of  cars,  or  on  the  stairs  leading 
to  the  elevated  stations,  on  the  sidewalks,  or  in  any  public 
hall. 

Soft  coal  sold  by  the  bushel  must  contain  eighty  pounds. 

Junk  shops  may  not  be  located  in  residence  districts  or 
within  four  hundred  feet  of  a school,  hospital,  or  church. 

It  is  unlawful  to  pack  or  unpack  fruit,  flowers,  vegetables, 
rags,  paper,  old  iron,  bottles,  or  junk  on  any  street,  alley,  or 
sidewalk  or  other  public  place  in  the  city. 

No  fruit,  flower,  or  lunch  stand,  bulletin  board,  or  feed- 
ing trough  is  permitted  on  any  street,  alley,  or  sidewalk 
without  a permit  from  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Works. 

The  width  of  wagon  tires  (except  rubber)  must  be  in 
proportion  to  the  weight  of  the  load  carried,  ranging  from 
one  and  one-half  inches  for  three  thousand  pounds  up  to 
eight  inches  for  eighteen  thousand  pounds. 

No  one-horse  wagon  may  carry  a load  exceeding  3,500 
pounds,  and  for  each  additional  horse  only  4,000  pounds 
may  be  added  to  the  load. 

If  a surface  or  elevated  car  is  delayed  ten  minutes  by  a 
break-down,  or  by  any  act  or  neglect  of  the  street-car  com- 
pany, any  passenger  may  demand  the  refund  of  his  fare. 

Every  person  who  owns  or  keeps  a dog  within  the  limits 
of  the  city  is  required  to  pay  an  annual  tax  of  two  dollars 
for  each  one  on  or  before  May  1st. 


116 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


No  dog  is  permitted  by  ordinance  to  run  at  large  in  any 
street  or  alley  at  any  time,  unless  securely  muzzled  or  led 
by  a chain.  The  police  are  instructed  to  impound  any  dog 
running  at  large  contrary  to  the  ordinance,  and  unless  it  is 
redeemed  by  its  owner  within  five  days,  it  is  to  be  destroyed 
by  the  poundkeeper. 

There  is  a fine  of  not  less  than  $25  for  giving,  in  any  way, 
a false  alarm  of  fire. 

There  is  a fine  of  not  less  than  $25  for  making  a bonfire  in 
any  street,  alley,  or  public  place  within  the  city. 

There  is  a fine  of  from  $5  to  $25  for  discharging  any  kind 
of  firearms  within  the  city,  except  under  license  duly  issued 
by  the  City  Clerk. 

No  person  is  permitted  to  set  off  any  kind  of  fireworks 
within  the  city,  except  by  proclamation  of  the  Mayor  per- 
mitting it,  as  on  the  Fourth  of  July. 

There  is  a fine  of  $25  to  $200  for  selling  or  giving  away 
any  cigarettes  or  cigarette-paper  without  first  obtaining  a 
license,  and  the  same  fine  for  selling  or  giving  away  any 
tobacco  product,  of  any  form,  within  six  hundred  feet  of  a 
building  used  for  school  purposes. 

There  is  a fine  of  $10  to  $100  for  gathering  to  use,  or  for 
using  in  any  way,  for  sale,  the  stumps  of  cigars  and 
cigarettes  thrown  away  in  the  streets,  alleys,  saloons,  etc. 

Every  loaf  of  bread  offered  for  sale  must  have  on  it  a 
label  one  inch  square  or  an  inch  in  diameter  plainly  stating 
how  many  ounces  the  loaf  contains. 

Legal  Fares  for  Cabs  and  Carriages. 

For  Tzvo-Horse  Vehicles 
One  or  two  passengers,  one  mile  or  less 


$1.00 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHICAGO  H7 

Each  additional  passenger,  first  mile,  or  part  thereof 

only  50 

One  or  more  passengers,  for  second  mile  and  subse- 
quent miles,  or  part  thereof.  Fare  for  all  for  each 
mile,  or  part  thereof 50 


Children  between  five  and  fourteen  years  of  age, 
when  accompanied  by  adult,  not  more  than  half  the 
above  rates. 

Children  under  five  years  of  age,  accompanied  by 
adult*  free. 

One  or  more  passengers,  by  the  hour,  with  privilege 


of  going  and  stopping  at  pleasure,  first  hour 2.00 

Each  additional  hour,  or  part  thereof,  per  hour 1.50 


If  a vehicle,  hired  by  the  hour,  is  discharged  before  re- 
turning to  the  starting-place,  the  driver  may  charge  for  the 


time  required  to  return. 

For  One-Horse  Vehicles 

One  or  two  passengers,  not  exceeding  one  mile $ .50 

Each  additional  passenger,  first  mile,  or  part  thereof.  . .25 


One  or  more  passengers,  for  second  mile  and  subse- 
quent miles,  or  part  thereof.  Fare  for  all  for  each 
mile,  or  part  thereof 

Children  between  five  and  fourteen  years  of  age, 
when  accompanied  by  adult,  not  more  than  half  the 
above  rates. 

Children  under  five  years  of  age,  accompanied  by 
adult,  free. 

One  or  more  passengers,  by  the  hour,  with  privilege 


of  going  and  stopping  at  pleasure,  first  hour 1.00 

Each  additional  hour,  or  part  thereof 1.00 


118 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS. 


When  hired  by  the  hour,  the  driver  may  charge  for  the 
time  required  to  return  to  the  starting-point. 

Every  passenger  may  carry  with  him,  without  extra 
charge,  traveling  baggage  not  exceeding  seventy-five  pounds 
in  weight. 

Legal  Fares  for  Automobiles.  With  seating  capacity 
not  exceeding  two  persons,  three  dollars  per  hour,  the  min- 
imum being  one  dollar. 

With  seating  capacity  more  than  two  and  not  exceeding 
five  persons,  four  dollars  per  hour,  the  minimum  being  one 
dollar  and  a half. 

With  seating  capacity  more  than  five  persons,  five  dollars 
per  hour,  the  minimum  being  two  dollars. 

No  charge  may  be  made  for  the  time  consumed  in  re- 
sponding to  a call,  or  in  returning  to  the  place  from  which 
the  automobile  is  called. 

Every  passenger  may  carry  light  baggage  not  exceeding 
fifty  pounds  in  weight  without  charge,  but  twenty-five 
cents  may  be  charged  for  a trunk. 

The  above  rates  of  fare  apply  only  in  cases  where  pas- 
sengers at  the  time  of  hiring  demand  and  secure  from  the 
operator  a card  on  which  appears  the  name  of  the  owner, 
the  name  of  the  operator  and  the  exact  time  of  hiring.  In 
other  cases  the  fares  are  the  same  as  for  taxicabs. 

Legal  Fares  for  Taxicabs.  Fares  for  passengers  con- 
veyed in  taxicabs  must  be  computed  by  the  distance  trav- 
eled and  shall  not  exceed  fifty  cents  for  the  first  half  mile 
or  fraction  thereof,  for  one  person.  For  each  fourth  of  a 
mile  thereafter,  ten  cents  may  be  charged.  For  each  ad- 
ditional person,  twenty  cents  for  the  whole  distance. 

Ten  cents  may  be  charged  for  each  four  minutes  of  wait- 
ing. 

Twenty  cents  may  be  charged  for  conveying  a trunk. 


LEADING  INSTITUTIONS,  ASSOCI- 
ATIONS, ETC. 

Chicago  Public  Library.  The  first  mover  toward  the 
establishment  of  the  Chicago  Public  Library  was  Thomas 
Hughes,  the  author  of  “Tom  Brown’s  School  Days.”  After 
the  great  fire  of  1871  Mr.  Hughes  led  a movement  in  Eng- 
land that  resulted  in  the  donation  of  7,000  volumes,  which 
formed  the  nucleus  of  the  Public  Library  in  Chicago.  It 
now  occupies  its  own  permanent  building  on  Washington 
Street,  Michigan  Avenue,  and  Randolph  Street.  The  cost 
of  the  building,  including  furniture,  book-stacks,  and  ma- 
chinery, was  about  $2,000,000.  The  Library  now  contains 
376,463  volumes.  The  number  of  patrons  holding  cards  is 
100,755.  Its  annual  revenue  is  about  $260,000;  the  num- 
ber of  employees  about  200. 

The  interior  of  the  building  presents  one  of  the  most 
artistic  examples  of  interior  decoration  to  be  found  in  the 
United  States. 

The  circulating  department  is  open  from  9 a.  m.  to  6:30 
p.  m.  except  Sundays.  The  reading-room  and  reference 
department  are  open  from  9 a.  m.  to  10  p.  m.  on  week-days, 
and  from  9 a.  m.  to  6 p.  m.  on  Sundays.  The  library  is 
free  to  all  residents  of -Chicago;  also  to  residents  in  the 
county  outside  of  the  city  who  are  regularly  employed  in  the 
city. 

During  the  year  1909,  2,500,000  volumes  were  in  circula- 


te 


120 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


tion,  of  which  1,805,217  were  for  home  use.  It  now  has 
fourteen  branch  reading-rooms,  and  three  circulating  centers 
are  maintained.  An  “open  shelf’’  service  has  been  intro- 
duced like  that  in  the  John  Crerar  Library. 

The  Chicago  Public  Library  is  maintained  by  the  city  as 
a part  of  its  public  educational  system.  A special  library 
tax  of  one  mill  supplies  the  revenue  for  its  maintenance,  the 
annual  expenditures  being  about  $260,000.  The  Mayor 
appoints  a board  of  nine  directors,  who  hold  office  for  three 
years. 

How  to  Use  the  Library.  It  is  necessary  only  to  have 
your  application  signed  by  some  person  who  is  a resident 
of  Chicago,  and  whose  name  is  in  the  city  directory,  as  a 
guarantor  for  your  proper  observance  of  the  library  rules 
and  regulations.  A card  is  handed  each  person  whose  appli- 
cation is  accepted,  on  which  a record  is  kept  of  the  books 
drawn.  Ordinarily  each  book  may  be  kept  for  two  weeks 
and  may  then  be  renewed  for  the  same  length  of  time.  This 
card  is  good  for  three  years.  A fine  of  three  cents  a day 
is  imposed  for  keeping  a book  longer  than  the  stated  time 
without  renewal.  There  is  a fine  of  not  less  than  five  dollars 
for  tearing,  marking,  or  in  any  way  injuring  any  book  or 
paper  belonging  to  the  library ; also  a fine  of  from  one  dollar 
to  ten  dollars  for  not  returning  a book  which  has  been 
drawn. 

As  an  aid  in  finding  out  whether  or  not  a book  wanted 
is  in  the  library,  also  to  show  what  books  are  there  relating 
to  the  subject  in  which  you  are  interested,  special  finding- 
lists  are  published,  which  give  the  authors  and  titles  of 
books  under  each  head,  with  a letter  and  number  annexed 


LEADING  INSTITUTIONS,  ETC. 


121 


to  each  title.  The  clerk  furnishes  you  a slip  on  which  to 
copy  one  or  more  numbers  and  letters  for  books  which  you 
wish  to  consult,  and  the  first  book  found  on  the  shelves  is 
then  brought  to  you.  If  a book  is  in  very  great  demand,  it 
is  labeled  as  one  which  may  be  kept  only  one  week. 

Delivery  Stations.  Readers  in  the  remote  parts  of  the 
city  are  able  to  use  the  library  by  means  of  delivery  stations. 
A book  may  be  drawn  or  delivered  either  at  the  main  library 
or  at  a station.  Order  lists  left  at  a station  are  sent  to  the 
library  and  the  books  are  returned  daily.  There  are  many 
delivery  stations  maintained  at  convenient  points  throughout 
the  city. 

The  Library  and  the  Public  Schools.  The  library  issues 
special  cards  to  teachers  on  which  six  books  may  be  drawn 
at  one  time.  It  also  permits  principals  to  draw  larger  num- 
bers of  books  for  use  in  the  schoolroom.  The  Board  of 
Education  carries  the  books  back  and  forth  and  publishes 
the  rules  governing  the  issue  of  books  in  quantities. 

The  Newberry  Library  occupies  a building  on  Walton 
Place,  Clark  Street,  Oak  Street,  and  Dearborn  Avenue, 
which  was  completed  in  1893  at  a cost  of  $545,429.28. 

In  1868  Walter  S.  Newberry  bequeathed  more  than  $2,- 
000,000  for  the  establishment  of  a library  on  the  North 
Side.  This  fund  is  now  much  increased. 

The  collection  of  books  is  designed  for  reference  and  not 
for  circulation.  By  arrangement  with  the  John  Crerar 
Library,  the  Newberry  does  not  maintain  any  extensive 
collection  of  scientific  works. 

The  number  of  volumes  now  in  the  library  is  upwards  of 
200,000,  besides  about  50,000  pamphlets  and  900  periodicals. 


122 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  library  is  open  from  9 a.  m.  to  10  p.  m.  every  day  in 
the  year  except  Sundays  and  holidays.  It  is  closed  during 
the  first  two  weeks  of  August. 

The  John  Crerar  Library  was  founded  by  the  bequest 
of  John  Crerar,  who  died  in  1889.  The  endowment  is  said 
to  be  worth  $3,500,000  at  the  present  time.  In  his  will  Mr. 
Crerar  said : 

“I  desire  the  books  and  periodicals  selected  with  a view  to 
create  and  sustain  a healthy  moral  and  Christian  sentiment 
in  the  community,  and  that  all  nastiness  and  immorality  be 
excluded.  I do  not  mean  by  this  that  there  shall  not  be 
anything  but  hymn  books  and  sermons,  but  I mean  that 
dirty  French  novels  and  all  skeptical  trash  and  works  of 
questionable  moral  tone  shall  never  be  found  in  this  library. 
I want  its  atmosphere  that  of  Christian  refinement,  and  its 
aim  and  object  the  building  up  of  character.” 

The  library  was  organized  as  a corporation  January  12, 
1895.  A building-fund  has  accumulated  from  the  endow- 
ment which  now  amounts  to  .nearly  $1,000,000,  and  it  is 
expected  that  a suitable  building  will  be  erected  as  soon  as 
a satisfactory  site  can  be  found.  It  is  at  present  located 
cn  the  fifth  and  sixth  floors  of  the  Marshall  Field  Building, 
its  entrance  being  at  110  N.  Wabash  Avenue. 

The  number  of  bound  volumes  already  amounts  to  275,- 
000,  and  there  are  also  21,400  unbound  volumes.  Between 
4,000  and  5,000  current  periodicals  are  on  file  in  a special 
periodical  alcove  of  the  reading-room.  There  are  about  as 
many  more  serial  publications,  such  as  annual  reports  and 
parts  of  books  issued  at  irregular  intervals.  By  purchase 
from  the  Newberry  Library  of  some  25,000  volumes  of 


LEADING  INSTITUTIONS,  ETC. 


123 


medical  works,  mostly  the  gift  of  Dr.  Nicholas  Senn,  this 
library  now  has  a very  large  and  valuable  medical  collection. 

The  Crerar  is  exclusively  a reference  library  and  aims  to 
cover  especially  the  field  of  scientific  and  technical  literature 
in  order  that  the  scope  of  the  leading  libraries  of  the  city 
may  not  be  duplicated.  It  therefore  contains  no  works  on 
music,  sculpture,  painting,  theology,  philology,  or  law. 

The  library  is  open  from  9 a.  m.  to  10  p.  m.  daily,  includ- 
ing holidays,  except  Sundays.  In  the  reading-room  are 
some  5,000  volumes  which  are  accessible  without  formality, 
and  these  are  made  good  use  of  by  an  appreciating  public. 

The  Chicago  Historical  Society  Library  was  founded  in 
1856,  but  was  destroyed  by  the  fire  of  1871,  when  it  con- 
tained 100,000  volumes.  Like  the  other  departments  of 
Chicago  life,  it  was  quickly  replaced,  but  was  again  burned 
in  1874.  In  October,  1877,  it  was  again  ready  with  a third 
collection,  many  of  which  were  donated  from  the  private 
libraries  of  its  enthusiastic  friends.  The  library  now  occu- 
pies its  own  fireproof  home  on  the  corner  of  Dearborn 
Avenue  and  Ontario  Street,  the  cost  of  which  was  $190,000. 
The  total  number  of  volumes  is  now  over  140,000. 

The  library  is  open  daily  except  Sunday  from  9 a.  m.  to 
5 P.  M. 

Other  Important  Libraries  are  the  following : — 

The  Ryerson  Library,  of  the  Art  Institute. 

The  Library  of  the  LTniversity  of  Chicago. 

The  Library  of  Northwestern  University. 

The  Library  of  Lewis  Institute. 

The  Library  of  the  Garrett  Biblical  Institute. 

The  Library  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences. 


124 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  Field  Columbian  Museum  Library. 

The  Library  of  St.  Ignatius  College. 

The  Pullman  Public  Library. 

The  Hammond  Library. 

The  Western  Society  of  Engineers  Library. 

The  Chicago  Law  Institute  Library. 

The  Evanston  Public  Library. 

Besides  these  there  are  twenty-five  or  thirty  others  of 
more  or  less  importance. 

The  University  of  Chicago.  This  great  university  is 
one  of  the  marvels  of  Chicago.  It  was  opened  for  its  first 
students  only  eighteen  years  ago,  and  to-day  rivals  the  fore- 
most universities  in  the  world,  not  only  in  its  number  of 
students,  bnt  also  in  buildings  and  equipment. 

The  campus  covers  ninety-five  acres,  which  cost  $4,217,- 
553.  There  are  now  thirty-three  buildings,  and  more  are 
to  be  built  in  the  near  future.  These  have  cost  $5,000,000. 
A new  Harper  Memorial  Library  building  is  to  be  erected 
at  once,  which  will  require  a fund  of  $900,000.  An  addi- 
tional $800,000  is  also  to  be  spent  for  four  other  depart- 
mental library  buildings  within  the  next  year  or  two.  These 
and  the  Memorial  Library  building  will  form  a library 
group,  with  reading-rooms  all  connected.  When  completed 
there  will  be  space  in  the  stacks  and  in  the  departmental 
libraries  for  nearly  3,000,000  volumes. 

The  total  gifts  to  the  university  aggregate  about  $30,000,- 
000.  Tbe  number  of  students  is  about  6,000;  the  number  of 
instructors,  350.  The  first  and  by  far  the  largest  contributor 
to  the  endowment  of  this  university  is  John  D.  Rockefeller, 
whose  donations  amount  to  $24,515,322. 


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125 


The  first  president  of  the  university  was  William  Rainey 
Harper,  who  died  in  1906.  The  first  students  entered  in 
October,  1892. 

The  Yerkes  Observatory  at  Lake  Geneva,  Wisconsin,  is 
a part  of  the  university.  Its  refracting  telescope  of  forty 
inches  aperture  ranks  second  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 

The  library  of  the  university  contains  461,000  bound 
volumes  and  170,000  pamphlets. 

The  University  of  Chicago  is  open  the  year  round. 

The  Northwestern  University  is  located  at  Evanston, 
but  its  professional  schools  are  in  Chicago.  It  was  incor- 
porated in  1851.  The  first  building  was  erected  in  1853, 
forming  the  nucleus  of  the  city  of  Evanston,  which  now 
has  a population  of  nearly  30,000. 

While  a majority  of  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees must  be  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
no  particular  religious  faith  is  required  of  those  who  be- 
come students  at  the  institution. 

It  is  provided  in  the  charter  of  the  Northwestern  that  no 
alcoholic  liquor  shall  be  sold  within  four  miles  of  the  uni- 
versity. 

The  campus  covers  an  area  of  about  seventy-five  acres. 
On  it  are  located  eleven  college  buildings,  besides  the  Gar- 
rett Biblical  Institute,  the  Evanston  Academy,  and  the 
Northwestern  University  School  of  Oratory.  In  Chicago 
are  the  Medical  School,  and  the  schools  of  Law,  Pharmacy, 
Dentistry,  and  Commerce. 

The  number  of  bound  volumes  in  the  several  libraries  of 
the  university  is  about  130.000;  of  pamphlets,  about  80,000. 

The  value  of  the  buildings  and  grounds,  including  libra- 


123 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


ries,  museums,  etc.,  is  3,694,199;  the  endowment  and  trust 
funds  amount  to  $4,005,309. 

The  total  number  of  students  is  about  five  thousand. 

The  Art  Institute  of  Chicago  was  organized  in  1879. 
It  is  located  in  its  own  building  at  the  foot  of  Adams  Street, 
on  the  lake  front.  Its  present  home  was  erected  in  1893. 

All  there  is  of  the  institute  has  been  the  voluntary  gift  of 
the  people  of  Chicago.  Over  2,300  families  contribute  regu- 
larly to  its  support.  The  ground  it  occupies  was  given  by 
the  city.  It  is  valued  at  more  than  $2,000,000.  It  expends 
annually  more  than  $50,000  in  the  conduct  of  its  museum 
lectures.  It  costs  $51,000  a year  to  maintain  its  schools. 
For  several  years  about  700,000  persons  have  visited  the 
institute  annually,  of  whom  over  650,000  were  admitted 
free.  The  total  enrollment  of  pupils  in  its  schools  is  up- 
wards of  3,000  a year. 

Admission  is  free  on  Wednesdays,  Saturdays,  and  Sun- 
days. On  other  days  a fee  of  twenty-five  cents  is  charged. 

Theaters.  There  are  about  forty  theaters  in  Chicago, 
of  which  number  twenty,  at  least,  may  be  said  to  be  first- 
class  in  respect  to  structure  and  equipment.  Nearly  two 
hundred  thousand  people  attend  these  theaters  every  week. 
There  are  also  three  hundred  and  forty  five-cent  theaters  in 
the  city. 

By  an  ordinance  of  the  city  it  is  unlawful  for  any  man  or 
woman  to  wear  a hat  or  bonnet  in  any  licensed  theater,  dur- 
ing any  part  of  the  performance  or  program  being  rendered 
on  the  stage  or  platform.  It  is  made  the  duty  of  the  man- 
agers of  the  theaters  to  enforce  this  ordinance.  The  fine 
for  wearing  a hat  is  from  three  to  five  dollars. 


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127 


Independent  Charitable  Organizations.  There  are  in 
Chicago  more  than  sixty  associations  organized  for  the  pur- 
pose of  dispensing  general  charities,  twelve  or  more  special 
charity  organizations,  and  sixty  or  more  church  charity  or- 
ganizations. Some  of  the  most  important  of  these  are  the 
following : — 

The  Illinois  Humane  Society  was  chartered  in  1869.  Its 
purpose  is  to  prevent  cruelty  to  animals  and  children.  The 
laws  of  the  state  and  the  ordinances  of  the  city  forbid 
cruelty  to  animals,  bull-fighting,  cock-fighting,  dog-fighting, 
docking  horses’  tails,  killing  birds,  using  children  under 
fourteen  years  of  age  for  purposes  of  public  exhibition  or 
entertainment,  and  unnecessarily  exposing  children  to  the 
inclemency  of  the  weather. 

The  Visitation  and  Aid  Society.  The  work  of  this  society 
is  similar  to  that  of  the  Juvenile  Court,  which  was  brought 
into  existence  chiefly  through  its  agency. 

Municipal  Tuberculosis  Sanitarium.  In  April,  1909,  the 
city  voted  a levy  of  one  mill  on  every  dollar  of  assessed 
valuation,  for  the  establishment  and  support  of  a Municipal 
Tuberculosis  Sanitarium.  Three  commissioners  were  ap- 
pointed by  the  Mayor  to  have  charge  of  this  work. 

Fresh  Air  Funds.  Summer  outings  lasting  one  week  or 
more  are  provided  for  needy  children,  with  their  mothers, 
by  the  Daily  News  Fresh  Air  Fund  and  Sanitarium,  at  Lin- 
coln Park;  Camp  Good  Will,  at  Evanston;  the  United  Chari- 
ties ; Gads  Hill  Encampment  Association,  near  Lake  Bluff ; 
La  Rabida  Sanitarium,  at  Jackson  Park  ; and  the  camps  at 
New  Lenox  and  Benton  Harbor,  which  are  maintained  by 
Chicago  associations. 


128 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Visiting  Nurses’  Association.  This  association  is  a philan- 
thropic institution  maintained  by  voluntary  contributions 
from  those  of  recognized  standing  in  the  social  life  of  Chi- 
cago. The  purpose  of  the  association  is  to  provide  in  every 
practicable  way  for  the  needy  sick. 

This  is  one  of  the  largest  organizations  of  its  character 
in  the  United  States.  In  1909  the  eighty  nurses  made  99,514 
visits  to  the  homes  of  the  needy,  and  175,167  school  chil- 
dren were  examined  by  these  nurses,  as  aids  to  the  Health 
Department.  Out  of  the  latter  number  they  found  47,707 
needing  their  help.  They  also  made  71,461  visits  to  the 
homes  of  pupils ; 14,502  visits  to  the  public  schools,  and  334 
to  parochial  schools. 

The  United  Charities  of  Chicago  was  established  in  April, 
1909,  by  the  union  of  the  Relief  and  Aid  Society  and  the 
Bureau  of  Charities.  The  first  year,  through  eleven  district 
offices,  they  helped  13,965  families,  numbering  over  50,000 
individuals. 

The  Mary  Crane  Nursery  maintained  by  the  society  is 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  mothers  and  children.  It  con- 
tains a day  nursery  with  a capacity  of  seventy-five  children. 
In  the  milk  depot  120,000  bottles  of  pasteurized  and  modi- 
fied milk  were  distributed  to  sickly  children  during  1909. 
In  the  laundry,  sewing-room,  and  domestic  science  room 
employment  and  instruction  are  given  to  mothers  who  must 
learn  how  to  earn  a living  for  their  children. 

Over  2,000  homeless  men  and  boys,  some  convalescent, 
some  stranded  in  the  city,  were  assisted  by  the  United  Chari- 
ties association  in  1909.  The  society  maintains  a home  for 
such  men  and  boys. 


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129 


The  society  carries  on  a social  service  work  at  the  Cook 
County  Hospital  in  behalf  of  outgoing  patients  who  have  no 
home  or  money. 

In  the  registration  department  is  the  index  which  makes 
a clearing  house  for  the  charity  work  of  the  city;  160,000 
records  are  on  file.  This  information,  confidential  in  char- 
acter, can  be  made  of  great  service  to  those  who  are  appealed 
to  on  the  streets  or  in  their  homes  if  they  will  communicate 
with  the  society  before  aiding. 

In  1909  16,375  children  and  mothers  were  given  outings 
in  the  country,  and  the  United  Charities  handled  all  the 
transportation  for  them. 

The  society  covers  the  whole  city  and  helps  regardless  of 
race,  color,  or  creed. 

Social  Settlements.  The  chief  aim  of  these  settlements 
is  to  provide  centers  for  higher  civic  and  social  life ; to 
initiate  and  maintain  religious,  educational,  and  philan- 
thropic enterprises,  and  to  investigate  and  improve  condi- 
tions in  the  industrial  districts  of  Chicago. 

The  leading  settlements  are  : — 

The  University  of  Chicago  Settlement,  4630  Gross  Avenue. 
The  Forward  Movement,  305  West  Van  Buren  Street. 
Northwestern  University  Settlement,  Augusta  Street,  north- 
west corner  of  Noble. 

Hull  House,  335  South  Halsted  Street. 

Chicago  Commons,  Grand  Avenue,  corner  of  North  Morgan 
Street. 

Hull  House  is  probably  the  best  known  of  all  Chicago’s 
settlements,  as  it  was  the  first  one  of  the  more  than  twenty 
now  existing  here.  It  occupies  the  old  residence  of  Charles 


130 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


J.  Hull,  on  Halsted  Street,  in  which  the  institution  had  its 
origin,  although  it  has  other  buildings  adjoining.  There 
are  about  fifty  resident  workers  in  the  institution,  and  more 
than  a hundred  non-residents  serve  as  club  or  class  leaders. 

Among  the  permanent  features  of  this  institution  are  a 
good  restaurant,  a branch  of  the  Public  Library,  a good  the- 
atrical stage  and  audience  room,  two  residential  clubs — one 
for  boys  and  one  for  girls — a day  nursery,  a kindergarten,  a 
gymnasium,  a labor  museum,  an  art  studio,  a book  bindery, 
arts  and  crafts  shops,  and  a playground. 

City  Gardens  Association.  This  association  seeks  to  pro- 
vide gardens  for  needy  families  to  cultivate  in  the  vacant 
lands  of  the  city.  About,  four  hundred  such  families  are 
provided  with  gardens  in  the  summer,  and  in  the  winter 
they  are  taught  in  classes  as  much  as  possible  about  gar- 
dening. 

Outdoor  Art  League.  The  league  lends  its  influence  in 
every  practicable  way  to  the  beautifying  of  the  city  extern- 
ally, by  suppressing  smoke,  maintaining  public  drinking- 
fountains,  placing  flower  boxes  in  windows,  etc. 

The  Chicago  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  is  the 
largest  institution  of  its  kind  in  the  world.  Its  land  and 
buildings  are  valued  at  $2,000,000.  It  has  recently  raised  a 
semi-centennial  fund  of  $1,000,000,  and  is  planning  to  raise 
another  fund  of  $750,000  for  the  construction  of  a large 
hotel  exclusively  for  the  temporary  accommodation  of  re- 
spectable young  men,  and  possibly  women,  with  limited 
means,  until  they  can  be  furnished  with  positions. 

The  Young  Women’s  Christian  Association.  It  is  the 
design  of  the  Young  Women’s  Christian  Association  to  pro- 


LEADING  INSTITUTIONS,  ETC. 


131 


vide  a home  for  working  girls  who  are  alone  in  the  city. 
It  is  well  furnished  and  kept,  and  its  accommodations  are 
always  in  demand. 

Chicago  Tuberculosis  Institute.  The  object  of  this  or- 
ganization is  to  study  the  causes  and  conditions  of  consump- 
tion, and  promote  all  possible  means  for  its  cure  and  pre- 
vention. An  open-air  sanitarium  is  maintained  at  Naper- 
ville, with  a capacity  for  thirty  beds,  which  are  constantly 
filled. 

The  Catholic  Church  in  Chicago.  The  fact  that  there 
are  1,150,000  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in 
Chicago  is  evidence  of  the  large  place  held  by  this  religious 
body  in  the  life  of  the  city.  In  198  parochial  schools  there 
are  92,000  pupils.  There  are  also  22  academies  for  girls, 
with  5,100  students;  5 High  Schools,  with  1,250  students; 
12  colleges  and  academies  for  boys,  with  3,000  students ; 
1 school  for  mutes,  with  71  pupils;  2 training-schools  for 
boys,  with  600  pupils ; 1 industrial  school  for  girls,  with 
300  pupils;  6 orphan  asylums,  with  1,700  orphans;  2 infant 
asylums,  with  906  inmates  during  the  year ; 1 working-boys’ 
home,  with  200  inmates  during  the  year ; 3 working-girls’ 
homes,  with  340  inmates ; 5 homes  for  the  aged,  with  600 
inmates;  16  hospitals,  with  15,000  patients;  5 communities 
nursing  sick  in  their  homes ; 1 theological  seminary,  with 
138  students. 

The  archdiocese  of  Chicago  contains  1 archbishop.  2 
bishops,  1 mitred  abbot,  377  diocesan  priests,  270  priests  of 
religious  orders,  127  seminarians,  187  city  churches  with 
resident  priests,  5 city  missions,  17  county  missions,  45 
chapels  and  1 preparatory  seminary. 


132 


CHICAGO,  COOIv  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Chicago  Sunday  Evening  Club.  Among  the  religious 
organizations  of  Chicago,  the  Chicago  Sunday  Evening 
Club,  which  holds  services  regularly  on  Sunday  evenings, 
except  during  the  summer  months,  in  Orchestra  Hall,  is 
worthy  of  mention,  inasmuch  as  it  is  supported  by  all  de- 
nominations and  has  no  stated  pastor,  but  engages  the  most 
eminent  speakers  in  the  country.  It  also  makes  music  a 
feature  of  its  services.  Strangers  in  the  city  find  here  a 
hearty  welcome,  and  the  attendance  usually  reaches  above 
two  thousand. 

The  Chicago  Association  of  Commerce  is  an  organiza- 
tion of  business  and  professional  men  and  firms,  in  all  num- 
bering about  three  thousand,  whose  aim  is  to  promote  the 
business  and  financial  interests  of  the  “Great  Central  Mar- 
ket.” It  is  strictly  non-partisan  in  politics.  It  cooperates 
with  the  city  authorities  in  an  advisory  way,  and  aims  to 
exercise  a conservative  influence  in  business  crises,  to  draw 
trade  to  Chicago  through  cooperation  with  the  railroads 
and  its  own  generous  advertising,  and  even  to  advance  the 
bulk  of  foreign  trade  in  every  practicable  way.  The  asso- 
ciation was  organized  in  1905. 

Public  Lectures.  The  University  of  Chicago  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  university  extension  lectures ; the 
Daily  News  a system  of  free  public  lectures  in  the  public 
school  buildings.  The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association, 
the  Northwestern  University,  the  Lewis  Institute,  and  many 
of  the  churches  and  other  societies  furnish  regular  series  of 
popular  and  educational  lectures  at  cost  prices.  The  Field 
Museum  offers  a course  of  lectures  free  tc  the  public. 

The  Citizens’  Association  of  Chicago  seek?  to  promote 


LEADING  INSTITUTIONS,  ETC. 


133 


the  general  political  and  commercial  welfare  of  the  city 
and  state. 

The  City  Club  is  non-partisian ; it  was  organized  in 
1904. 

The  Chicago  Law  and  Order  League  was  organ- 
ized and  incorporated  in  July,  1905.  Its  purpose  is  to  aid 
the  people  in  securing  the  enforcement  of  the  laws  and  the 
suppression  of  disorderly  places. 

The  Municipal  Voters’  League  is  not  a political  body, 
except  that  it  seeks  the  purification  of  municipal  politics 
in  determining  the  character  of  candidates  for  the  position 
of  alderman,  and  in  deciding  which  candidates  are  most 
worthy  of  their  votes.  It  is  non-partisan.  The  League  was 
first  formed  in  1896,  and  has  been  a very  effective  agency 
in  the  election  of  honest  men  to  the  City  Council.  Its  pub- 
lished criticisms  of  candidates  before  election  are  accepted 
by  the  citizens  generally  as  being  impartial  and  correct. 
The  league  is  supported  solely  by  voluntary  contributions, 
varying  from  one  dollar  to  one  thousand  dollars.  Every 
citizen  should  be  willing  to  aid  so  valuable  an  agency  for 
securing  and  maintaining  an  honest  and  efficient  Council. 

The  president  of  the  League  has  stated  its  aims  and  ob- 
jects as  follows: 

“There  is  just  one  thing,  the  League  is  and  has  been  in- 
terested in  from  its  inception,  and  that  is  progressive  im- 
provement in  the  personnel  and  methods  of  the  City  Coun- 
cil. 

“Our  purpose  is  to  examine  into  the  qualifications  of  can- 
didates for  that  body  and  to  watch  proceedings,  both  in 
Council  and  in  committee,  and  to  note  the  attitude  of  its 


134  CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 

members,  with  the  end  in  view  of  correctly  advising  the  peo- 
ple in  the  selection  of  Aldermen. 

“The  League  regards  the  City  Council  of  Chicago  as  one 
of  the  most  important  legislative  bodies  in  the  United  States, 
and  believes  that  the  welfare  of  Chicago  is  in  a large  meas- 
ure dependent- upon  the  ability,  efficiency  and  integrity  of 
its  Aldermen. 

“To  make  the  Council  of  the  largest  value  to  the  people 
and  a representative  body  of  high  order  we  shall  continue 
in  our  efforts,  as  heretofore,  to  find  and  recommend  for 
election  the  worthiest  candidates  and  to  secure  the  introduc- 
tion and  maintenance  of  the  fittest  methods  and  procedure 
in  the  transaction  of  the  City  Council’s  business.” 

Other  Associations  and  Clubs  are  as  follows  : — 

The  Civic  Federation. 

The  Civil  Service  Reform  Association  of  Chicago. 

The  Legislative  Voters’  League  of  Cook  County. 

The  Municipal  Ownership  League. 

The  Marquette  Club,  established  1889;  Republican. 

The  Hamilton  Club,  established  1890;  Republican. 

The  Iroquois  Club,  established  1881  ; Democratic. 

The  Citizens’  League  of  Chicago. 

The  Englewood  Law  and  Order  League. 

The  North  Side  Law  and  Order  League. 

The  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Crime. 

The  Commercial  Club. 


COMMERCIAL  AND  INDUSTRIAL 
FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


The  Union  Stock-yards  were  first  opened  in  1865. 
They  represent  the  greatest  livestock  market  in  the  world. 
They  are  located  about  five  and  a half  miles  from  the  City 
Hall,  in  a southwesterly  direction.  The  grounds  cover  an 
area  of  500  acres,  all  but  50  acres  being  paved  with  brick. 
These  grounds  include  25  miles  of  streets  ; 20  miles  of  water- 
troughs;  50  miles  of  feeding-troughs ; 6 artesian  wells  with 
an  average  depth  of  1,230  feet;  50  miles  of  sewer-pipes; 
90  miles  of  water-mains,  and  300  miles  of  railroad  track. 

The  original  cost  of  the  plant  was  $4,000,000.  The  pack- 
ing-houses cost  $10,000,000. 

The  number  of  people  employed  by  the  Union  Stock 
Yards,  the  packers,  and  other  concerns  directly  connected 
with  them,  reaches  nearly  50,000. 

The  bank  in  the  Stock-yards  district  has  annual  deposits 
approaching  $1,000,000,000. 

The  annual  volume  of  business  is  $600,000,000,  which  in- 
cludes the  livestock,  packing,  commission,  and  stock-yards 
railway  interest. 

The  livestock  trade  in  1909  was  $316,754,000,  which 
was  $9,000,000  more  than  in  1908.  The  increase  was  due  to 
the  great  advance  in  prices,  for  the  receipts  were  1,544,997 
head  less  than  in  1908,  being  14,491,372  head,  the  smallest 
number  in  thirteen  years. 


135 


136 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


All  buying  must  be  finished  by  three  o’clock  each  day,  and 
all  purchases  must  be  paid  for  on  the  day  of  purchase. 
About  a million  dollars  changes  hands  here  every  day  for 
livestock  alone. 

Packingtozvn.  The  packing-house  district,  commonly 
styled  “Packingtown,”  covers  nearly  as  much  territory  as 
the  Stock-yards.  Here  a separate  and  independent  business 
is  carried  on,  which  is,  however,  dependent  for  its  supplies 
on  the  livestock  at  the  yards.  The  cattle,  hogs,  sheep,  etc., 
are  slaughtered  and*  prepared  for  the  market  by  the  packers, 
and  by  them  shipped  to  every  part  of  the  world.  The  yards 
supply  the  raw  material  gathered  from  every  state  in  the 
Union,  and  the  packers  prepare  and  distribute  this  material 
to  consumers  everywhere. 

The  rapidity  with  which  animals  are  slaughtered  and 
‘‘packed”  is  one  of  the  most  marvelous  sights  in  the  world. 
An  average  of  about  five  hundred  carloads  of  the  various 
products  of  Packingtown  are  shipped  away  every  day  in 
the  year. 

Millions  of  dollars’  worth  of  by-products  are  made  yearl) 
from  materials  that  were  formerly  thrown  away.  The  feet, 
knuckles,  hide-clippings,  and  small  bones  are  made  into 
neatsfoot  oil,  gelatine,  glue,  and  ising-glass.  Tallow  and 
grease  are  converted  into  toilet  and  laundry  soaps,  washing- 
powders,  and  glycerine.  The  hair  of  cattle  is  used  for  up- 
holstering, for  plastering,  for  hair-felt,  and  for  ropes  and 
mats.  The  hides  are  tanned  and  made  into  leather  for 
shoes,  harness,  and  other  leather  goods.  The  bones  are 
made  into  buttons,  toothpicks,  toothbrush  handles,  and  knife 
handles,  and  are  used  for  refining  sugar.  The  pigs’  stomachs 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


137 


and  the  sheep’s  thyroid  and  other  glands  are  made  into  pep- 
sin, pancreatin,  and  other  medicinal  articles.  The  blood, 
the  small  bones,  and  the  waste  scraps  are  taken  to  the  fer- 
tilizing works  and  are  converted  into  fertilizers,  albumen, 
and  stock  and  poultry  foods. 

Some  of  the  largest  firms  in  the  business  are  the  fol- 
lowing :• — 

Armour  & Company. 

Swift  & Company. 

Nelson  Morris  & Company. 

The  Anglo-American  Provision  Company. 

Libby,  McNeil  & Libby. 

Fairbanks  Canning  Company. 

Schwarzschild  & Sulzberger  Company. 

The  Union  Stock-yards  and  Transit  Company  is  a cor- 
poration chartered  by  the  state.  This  company  simply  fur- 
nishes the  facilities  for  carrying  on  the  livestock  business, 
but  does  not  buy  or  sell  any  livestock.  The  buying  and  sell- 
ing are  done  by  owners  or  commission-men,  who  dispose  of 
their  stock  to  the  packers,  shippers,  and  other  stock-men. 

There  are,  then,  three  distinct  parties  interested  in  this 
business — the  owners  and  commission-men,  who  buy  and 
sell  the  stock;  the  Union  Stock-yards  and  Transit  Com- 
pany, which  furnishes  the  grounds,  pens,  weighing  facilities, 
etc.,  to  the  stock-men  for  certain  stipulated  fees,  which  con- 
stitute the  only  revenue  of  the  company ; and  the  packers 
and  shippers,  who  buy  the  livestock  and  dispose  of  it  to  their 
own  customers. 

k The  Business  Done.  There  is  an  average  of  about  1.00C 
carloads  of  livestock  received  at  the  yards  every  day  of  the 


138 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


year,  each  carload  averaging  in  value  upward  of  $1,000, 
making  a total  of  $1,000,000  worth  every  business  day.  In 
“Packingtown”  these  figures  are  duplicated  in  the  amount  of 
trade  and  the  expenses  of  business  done  there. 

In  these  two  mammoth  establishments  more  than  one 
hundred  carloads  of  coal  are  consumed  daily. 

The  commission-men  are  organized  into  a Chicago  Live- 
stock Exchange,  which  establishes  and  enforces  certain 
rules  for  trading.  This  exchange  has  now  about  seven  hun- 
dred members. 

The  International  Livestock  Exposition.  The  first  In- 
ternational Livestock  Exposition  was  held  in  December, 
1900.  The  purpose  was  to  gather  together  the  best  speci- 
mens of  cattle,  sheep,  hogs,  and  horses,  as  an  inspiration  to 
higher  breeding  and  general  improvement  in  stock.  The 
exhibition  was  a great  success.  As  many  as  three  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  visitors  attended  it.  The  exposition  was 
provided  with  a location  and  the  necessary  funds  by  the 
Union  Stock-yards  and  Transit  Company. 

The  second  exposition  was  a still  greater  success,  and 
each  year  marks  an  enlargement  of  the  scope  of  this  ex- 
position and  a more  widespread  interest  among  the  people. 

The  total  valuation  of  the  domestic  animals  in  the  United 
States  is  estimated  to  be  more  than  the  total  of  all  the  grain, 
cotton,  coal,  petroleum,  minerals,  precious  stones,  metals, 
potatoes,  sugar,  molasses,  wool,  and  tobacco  produced.  Chi- 
cago is  the  largest  grain  market  in  the  world,  the  largest 
lumber  market,  and  the  largest  wholesale  drygoods  market ; 
yet  her  aggregate  business  as  a livestock  market  exceeds  the 
aggregate  of  all  these  combined. 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


139 


Receipts  and  Shipments  of  grain,  provisions,  livestock 
etc.,  in  1909,  were  as  follows : — 


Receipts. 

Shipments. 

Flour,  barrels  

. . 8,526,207 

8,316,930 

Wheat,  bushels  

. . 26,985,112 

23,484,171 

Corn,  bushels  

. . 90,894,920 

72,835,839 

Oats,  bushels  

. . 87,884,238 

77,288,653 

Rye,  bushels  

. . 1,426,350 

903,569 

Bariev,  bushels  

. . 27,061,614 

8,556,086 

Timothy  seed,  pounds 

..  51,066,739 

20,673,915 

Clover  seed,  pounds 

. . 5,551,664 

4,669,531 

Other  grass  seeds,  pounds 

. . 34,473.910 

50,705,116 

Flaxseed,  bushels  

1,199,119 

150,934 

Broom  corn,  pounds 

. . 10,970,204 

9,127,816 

Cured  meats,  pounds 

. .207,405,026 

720,032,586 

Canned  meats,  cases 

9,106 

604,454 

Dressed  beef,  pounds 

. .443,118,730 

810,193,622 

Beef,  barrels  

111,390 

Pork,  barrels  

24,953 

182,228 

Lard,  pounds  

. . 70,852,783 

255,052,422 

Cheese,  pounds  

. . 84,473,211 

64,879,359 

Butter,  pounds  

. .284,546,835 

235,648,841 

Dressed  hogs,  number  

57i 

29,409 

Flides,  pounds  

. . 150,636,892 

180,677,234 

Wool,  pounds  

. . 91,695,097 

118,156,595 

Lumber  (including  timber),  M.  ft... 

..  2,584,512 

961,822 

Shingles,  M 

501,117 

434,021 

Salt,  barrels  

. . 1,728,305 

460,359 

Hay,  tons  

253,047 

16,571 

Potatoes,  bushels 

. . 12,662,864 

3,877,795 

Some  of  the  lake  receipts  and  shipments  reported  by  the 
Collector  of  Customs  for  the  port  of  Chicago  for  1909  are 
as  follows : — 


140 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


RECEIPTS 

Tons  of  iron  ore 4,678,885 

Tons  of  hard  coal 790,759 

Tons  of  soft  coal 449,527 

Feet  of  lumber 382,220,000 

Packages  of  green  fruit 4,750,540 

Bushels  of  wheat 5.555.546 

Bushels  of  barley 41,000 

Bushels  of  oats 6,000 

SHIPMENTS 

Barrels  of  flour 3,065,669 

Bushels  of  wheat 9,247,517 

Bushels  of  corn 26,734,776 

Bushels  of  oats 4,741,000 

Bushels  of  rye 45,000 

Bushels  of  barley 216,000 

Tons  of  grass-seed 3.165 

Tons  of  millstuff 204,072 


There  was  collected  as  duties  on  imported  merchandise, 
$10,142,634. 

The  drygoods  entered  at  the  port  of  Chicago  during  the 
year  were  valued  at  $7,384,683 ; the  duty  collected  on  them 
amounted  to  $4,017,207. 

Internal  revenues  collected  in  1909  amounted  to  $8,149,- 
614.  Of  this  amount,  $4,815,337  was  collected  for  beer 
stamps.  The  amount  collected  on  tobacco  was  $1,095,624; 
on  cigar  and  cigarette  stamps,  $667,965. 

The  report  shows  that  220,853,956  cigars  and  18,260,405 
pounds  of  tobacco  were  taxed,  and  4,995,062  cigarettes. 

The  tax  on  oleomargarine  amounted  to  $430,075;  the 
number  of  pounds,  72,280,211. 

The  grain  is  “handled"  without  the  use  of  hands.  It 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


141 


comes  by  rail,  canal,  or  lake  boat,  “in  bulk,”  not  in  bags  or 
barrels,  but  loose  in  the  car  or  boat.  The  train  or  boat 
stops  by  the  side  of  an  “elevator,”  and  the  grain  is  pumped 
into  enormous  bins;  from  these  bins  it  is  poured  out  into 
other  cars  or  vessels  on  the  other  side  of  the  elevator  by 
steam-power,  and  all  this  is  done  within  a few  minutes. 

The  facilities  for  handling  cargoes  are  of  the  best,  and 
it  is  remarkable  that  180,000  bushels  of  grain  can  be  loaded 
within  five  hours  with  comparatively  no  loss;  or  5,000  tons 
of  ore  in  three  hours. 

The  grain  is  inspected  and  graded  by  an  inspector  and 
dumped  with  a mountain  of  other  grain  of  the  same  grade. 
A receipt  is  given  by  the  clerk  of  the  elevator,  and  this  re- 
ceipt is  as  good  as  a bank  check.  It  goes  from  one  hand  to 
another  among  grain  dealers  on  ’change  and  in  the  grain 
market,  like  so  much  money. 

Shoes.  There  are  seven  shoe  manufacturing  com- 
panies in  and  immediately  tributary  to  Chicago,  where 
25,000  pairs  of  shoes  are  made  daily.  Excepting  in  one 
factory,  only  men’s  and  boys’  welt  shoes  are  made. 

All  boots  and  shoes  now  made  in  the  United  States  are 
cut,  stitched,  pegged,  or  nailed  by  machinery,  which  was  in- 
vented, patented  and  first  used  here  and  is  now  being  intro- 
duced into  Europe. 

Most  of  the  machines  used  in  shoe-making  are  of  quite 
recent  invention.  In  1907  the  uppers  of  all  shoes  were  cut 
by  hand ; now  they  are  cut  by  machinery ; and  where  for- 
merly it  was  a day’s  work  for  one  person  to  make  one  pair 
of  shoes,  a modern  factory  now  turns  out  five  pairs  of 
shoes  for  each  operative,  including  men,  women,  and  boys. 


142 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


In  the  West,  St.  Louis  is  first  in  shoe  manufacture,  Mil- 
waukee second,  and  Chicago  third.  1 

Men’s  Clothing.  Chicago  is  the  second  largest  cloth- 
ing manufacturing  center  in  the  United  States  to-day.  It  is 
second  only  to  New  York  City.  Cloth  is  manufactured 
chiefly'  in  the  eastern  states ; practically  none  is  made  in 
Chicago. 

One  hundred  and  sixteen  firms  in  Chicago  make  clothing 
for  men  and  boys,  and  one  hundred  make  clothing  for 
women.  None  of  these  firms  make  clothing  for  both  men 
and  women. 

The  firms  manufacturing  men’s  clothing  are  divided  as 
follows : — 

Automobile  clothing,  2. 

Boys’  clothing,  12. 

Men’s  clothing,  71. 

Duck  and  leather  clothing,  2. 

Evening  dress  suits,  3. 

Fur  and  fur-lined  overcoats,  3. 

Smoking  jackets,  2. 

Knee  breeches,  7. 

Overalls,  21. 

Trousers,  29. 

Rain  coats,  18. 

Summer  clothing,  7. 

Uniforms,  6. 

Vests,  8. 

Bar  and  waiter  jackets  and  barber  coats,  18. 

Tailors  to  the  trade,  67. 

Besides  these  are  many  smaller  tailor  and  repair  shops. 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


143 


Women’s  Clothing.  One  hundred  firms  are  making 
clothing  exclusively  for  women.  Twelve  firms  make  only 
cloaks ; nineteen  only  skirts  ; two  only  suits.  Sixty-one  make 
cloaks  and  suits ; nine  make  suits  and  skirts ; and  three  make 
cloaks,  suits,  and  skirts. 

No  cloth  is  manufactured  in  Chicago,  the  trade  being 
supplied  by  sixty  jobbing  houses  handling  woolens  and 
tailors’  trimmings.  Thirty-seven  firms  handle  wool  only. 

The  Chicago  Board  of  Trade  is  the  largest  institution 
of  the  kind  in  the  world.  It  was  first  formed  in  1848. 
The  present  building  was  begun  in  1882  and  completed  in 
1885,  at  a cost  of  $1,800,000.  The  present  membership  of 
the  board  is  about  1,500.  The  nominal  price  of  a member- 
ship is  $10,000,  but  retiring  members  sell  their  certificates 
for  varying  amounts.  The  value  of  a membership  at  the 
present  time  is  about  $2,500. 

The  board  is  in  session  from  9:30  A.  M.  till  1:15  p.  M., 
except  on  Saturday,  when  it  closes  at  12  m.  During  its  ses- 
sions the  members  buy  and  sell  the  staple  articles  of  food, 
especially  grains. 

The  clearances  of  the  board  in  1909  amounted  to  $91,232,- 
308.50;  the  balances,  $31,265,530.55. 

Through  the  efforts  of  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade,  a 
Council  of  North  American  Grain  Exchanges  has  been  or- 
ganized to  promote  the  general  interests  of  grain  exchanges 
in  all  parts  of  the  North  American  Continent. 

Rolling  Mills.  The  industries  of  Gary,  Indiana,  are 
practically  those  of  Chicago.  Three  years  ago  this  city  of 
15,000  population  contained  only  346  inhabitants.  The 


144 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


United  States  Steel  Corporation  appropriated  $100,000,000 
for  the  construction  here  of  immense  iron  and  steel  works. 
Already  $60,000,000  of  this  fund  has  been  expended,  and 
50,000  men  can  be  employed  in  the  works  as  they  stand  to- 
day. When  fully  developed,  about  200,000  workmen  will  be 
needed  to  keep  them  running  at  their  full  capacity.  The 
rolling  mill  of  the  Indiana  Steel  Company,  a subsidiary  com- 
pany having  control  of  the  works  there,  is  operated  by  elec- 
tricity, the  motors  aggregating  30,000  horsepower. 

The  product  of  the  blast  furnaces  of  Chicago  in  1909 
amounted  to  31,000,000  tons,  which  is  an  immense  increase 
over  that  of  any  previous  year.  Six  of  the  eight  blast  fur- 
naces under  construction  at  Gary  are  now  in  operation. 
Approximately  2,000,000  tons  of  ore  were  stored  during  the 
year  1909  at  the  ore  docks  there.  Twenty-eight  open-hearth 
furnaces  are  in  operation. 

The  production  of  pig  iron  in  1909  was  300,000  tons ; 
open-hearth  ingots,  520,000  tons ; open-hearth  blooms  and 
billets,  75,000  tons;  open-hearth  steel  rails,  330,000  tons. 

Sites  have  been  occupied  in  Gary  by  several  other  sub- 
sidiary and  independent  companies,  and  the  enlargement  of 
the  work  at  that  point  is  going  forward  rapidly. 

Ship-Building.  About  one  mile  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Calumet  River,  and  twelve  miles  from  the  City  Hall,  is 
located  a ship-building  yard,  which  covers  twenty  acres. 
Here  ships  for  lake  service  are  constructed.  During  1910 
twenty  vessels  are  to  be  constructed  at  these  yards,  twelve  of 
which  will  be  used  for  bulk  freight,  four  for  package 
freight,  two  for  passengers,  one  as  a fire  boat,  and  one  as  a 
ferry  steamer. 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


145 


The  Chicago  Clearing  House  Association  was  organ- 
ized in  1865.  Its  objects  are:  “The  effecting  at  one  place 
of  the  daily  exchanges  between  the  several  associated  banks, 
and  the  payment  at  the  same  place  of  the  balances  resulting 
from  such  exchanges,  and  to  establish  rules  and  regulations 
in  matters  of  common  interest  arising  from  or  affecting  re- 
lations with  banks  in  other  localities,  and  the  fostering  of 
sound  and  conservative  methods  of  banking.” 

The  payment  of  exchanges  is  effected  systematically, 
within  about  twenty  minutes,  from  Monday  to  Friday  at 
11  A.  M. ; on  Saturdays  at  10  A.  M. 

There  are  seventeen  members  of  the  association,  and 
thirty-five  non-members,  or  banks  which  make  their  clearing 
through  members. 

The  business  of  the  Clearing-house  is  confined  entirely  to 
banks  and  large  corporations  which  handle  a great  many 
checks.  The  United  States  Sub-Treasury  is  also  a member 
of -the  association.  Depositors’  checks  or  bank  balances  are 
not  in  any  way  connected  with  the  business  done  at  the 
Clearing-house.  Each  bank  closes  its  accounts  with  other 
banks  at  10:30  a.  m.,  and  all  checks  received  later  than  that 
are  carried  forward  into  the  next  day’s  transactions. 

The  total  clearings  by  the  associated  banks  of  Chicago 
for  1909  were  $13,781,843,612. 

Street  Railways.  The  first  regular  omnibus  line  in 
Chicago  was  started  May  9,  1853,  by  Frank  Parmalee.  The 
first  horsecars  ran  on  State  Street  from  Randolph  to 
Twelfth,  beginning  April  25,  1859.  There  were  five  two- 
horse  cars  and  one  one-horse  car.  The  following  summer 
several  other  lines  were  put  into  operation,  on  the  West, 


146 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


South,  and  North  sides  of  the  city.  The  Chicago  Railways 
Company  is  now  the  largest  public  service  corporation  in 
Chicago.  It  has  452,921  miles  of  track. 

Reconstruction  of  Lines.  By  a special  agreement  entered 
into  in  February,  1907,  between  the  city  and  the  various 
street  railway  companies,  the  companies  were  thoroughly  to 
reconstruct  and  equip  their  lines  within  three  years.  Such 
work  is  now  almost  completed,  and  a deal  has  recently  been 
effected  by  which  the  Chicago  City  Railway  Company,  the 
Calumet  and  South  Chicago  Railway  Company,  the  South- 
ern Street  Railway  Company,  and  the  Hammond,  East  Chi- 
cago, and  Whiting  Railway  Company  are  placed  under  one 
management  in  the  name  of  the  Chicago  City  and  Connect- 
ing Railways,  and  this  company  is  controlled  by  Chicago 
capital.  This  unites  all  the  lines  in  the  South  Division  of 
the  city,  and  the  remaining  two  companies  will  probably 
unite  with  the  new  company  as  soon  as  practicable. 

In  the  reconstruction  of  their  lines,  the  Chicago  Railways 
Company  alone  has  laid  776,000  square  yards  of  granite 
paving  in  its  sixteen  feet  of  right  of  way,  or  more  than 
enough  to  cover  a hundred-acre  farm. 

The  traction  companies  together  have  constructed  twenty- 
two  new  shops  and  stations,  using  enough  bricks  to  build  a 
thirteen-inch  wall  ten  feet  high  and  eighteen  miles  in  length. 
The  Chicago  Railways  Company  alone  carried  in  1910 
1,338,329  passengers  a day,  of  which  758,222  were  cash  pas- 
sengers, 568,743  rode  on  transfers,  and  11,364  rode  free. 

The  cost  of  the  repairs  amounts  to  the  great  sum  of 
nearly  $43,000,000;  310  miles  of  track  have  been  recon- 
structed; 1,350  new  cars  have  been  installed,  of  which  over 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


147 


1,000  are  the  new  pay-as-you-enter  cars.  Fifty  of  these 
new  cars  are  made  of  solid  steel.  Three  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  more  are  being  constructed  by  remodeling. 
The  average  number  of  laborers  employed  in  making  the 
repairs  was  6,000  per  day,  the  maximum  reaching  10,000. 

The  accomplishment  of  this  work  surpasses  anything  of 
the  kind  ever  before  done  in  the  world,  and  transforms  Chi- 
cago’s street-car  system  from  one  of  the  very  worst  to  the 
very  best  in  the  world. 

The  rails  used  in  the  repairs  are  grooved,  nine  inches 
high,  or  deep,  and  weigh  129  pounds  to  the  yard,  which  is 
from  30  to  64  pounds  heavier  than  the  heaviest  steam  serv- 
ice rails.  Each  car,  when  fully  loaded,  weighs  almost  30 
tons.  The  track  and  paving  cost  about  $40,000  a mile.  The 
average  cost  of  the  cars  now  in  use  is  about  $6,800.  A mile 
of  overhead  trolley,  with  iron  poles,  costs  $4,800. 

An  important  condition  in  the  terms  of  agreement  be- 
tween the  traction  companies  and  the  city  requires  the  com- 
panies to  pay  to  the  city  annually  55  per  cent  of  their  net 
receipts.  The  money  received  by  the  city  on  this  account 
is  to  be  used  for  constructing  a subway  for  the  use  of  the 
cars  under  the  business  section  of  the  city.  About 
$5,744,635  of-  this  fund  was  in  hand  early  in  1911,  and 
work  on  the  subways  will  be  begun  as  soon  as  details  of 
construction  can  be  agreed  upon. 

Connecting  Lines.  One  wishing  to  go  to  any  point  on 
the  North  Side  may  safely  take  a North  Clark  Street  car 
and  transfer  if  necessary.  To  go  to  the  northwest  section, 
take  a Milwaukee  Avenue  or  Elston  Avenue  car  and  trans- 
fer; to  go  to  the  West  Side,  take  a Madison  or  Twelfth 


148 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Street  car  and  transfer;  and  to  go  to  the  South  Side,  take 
an  Indiana  Avenue,  Cottage  Grove,  State  Street,  or  Went- 
worth Avenue  car  and  transfer. 

The  elevated  cars  reach  all  these  sections  in  somewhat 
less  time. 

For  the  Aurora,  Elgin,  and  Chicago  Interurban,  take  the 
Metropolitan  Elevated;  for  the  Calumet  Electric,  take  the 
South  Side  Elevated ; for  the  Chicago  and  Harlem  line,  take 
the  Oak  Park  Elevated;  for  Joliet  and  points  farther  south, 
take  the  Archer  Avenue  or  Metropolitan  Elevated ; for  the 
Chicago  and  Milwaukee  electric,  take  the  Northwestern  Ele- 
vated ; for  South  Chicago,  Hammond,  Whiting,  and  East 
Chicago,  take  the  South  Side  Elevated  or  the  City  Railway 
lines  going  south. 

Agricultural  Machines  and  Implements.  Whenever 
any  one  begins  to  look  after  the  causes  of  Chicago’s  great- 
ness, his  attention  is  sooner  or  later  centered  on  the  great 
manufacturing  plants  where  agricultural  machines  and  im- 
plements are  made.  The  harvesting  machine  plants  located 
here  have  perhaps  contributed  more  to  Chicago’s  greatness 
than  any  other  single  factor,  because  this  great  industry  is 
cooperating  with  the  American  farmer  in  the  work  of  de- 
veloping the  vast  agricultural  wealth  of  the  great  states  in 
the  Middle  West. 

Among  the  plants  devoted  to  the  manufacture  of  farm 
machines,  wagons,  and  implements,  the  largest  are  the  Mc- 
Cormick, Deering,  Weber,  and  Plano,  known  together  as  the 
International  Harvester  Company.  Chicago  plants  give  em- 
ployment to  some  25,000  men,  and  the  value  of  the  output 
aggregates  considerably  more  than  $50,000,000.  The  build- 
ings of  the  various  plants  cover  more  than  700  acres. 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


149 


The  volume  of  export  sales  in  this  line  is  steadily  grow- 
ing, the  foreign  shipments  from  Chicago  aggregating  con- 
siderably more  than-  $25,000,000  annually.  It  is  estimated 
that  every  grain  binder  shipped  abroad  releases  five  men 
from  the  farm  so  that  they  can  devote  their  energies  to  other 
work;  and  many  of  the  men  thus  replaced  with  machines 
are  improving  the  chance  of  looking  for  higher  opportunities 
which  are  to  be  found  in  the  United  States. 

The  International  Harvester  Company  has  a system  of 
pensions  for  its  employees  who  have  become  too  old  or 
feeble  to  work.  This  company  has  fifty  men  and  women  on 
its  pension  list,  drawing  from  $18  to  $63  a month  each. 

The  same  company  has  also  established  the  Employees’ 
Benefit  Association  as  a regular  department  of  its  business. 
From  the  organization  of  this  association,  September  1, 
1908,  till  January  1,  1910,  it  paid  out  in  cash  or  allowed  for 
claims  about  $250,000.  The  membership  in  the  association 
is  now  over  23,000.  It  is  wholly  voluntary.  Members  pay 
two  per  cent  of  wages  due  for  full  time  each  pay  day. 

Gas.  The  gas  which  is  used  so  extensively  for  illumi- 
nating, heating,  and  cooking  purposes  is  sold  by  measure- 
ment to  citizens  at  eighty  cents  per  thousand  cubic  feet. 

Gas  is  produced  by  spraying  steam  over  a fire  of  coke, 
and  also  spraying  in  oil  to  give  it  illuminating  quality.  After 
passing  into  purifiers,  it  is  conveyed  to  the  large  gas-holders, 
which  everybody  has  observed,  and  held  there,  to  be  dis- 
tributed through  the  streets  of  the  city  in  pipes  laid  in  the 
streets.  From  these  pipes  service-pipes  are  laid  into  the 
houses  where  gas  is  to  be  used. 

The  amount  used  by  any  house  is  determined  by  meters 


150  CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  4ND  ILLINOIS 

connected  with  the  service-pipes,  which  register  automat- 
ically the  number  of  cubic  feet  consumed. 

The  gas  is  forced  through  most  of  the  pipes  by  the  pres- 
sure of  the  holders,  but  this  pressure  is  reinforced  for  long 
distances  by  an  artificial  process  of  blowing. 

The  People’s  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Company,  which  sup- 
plies most  of  the  gas  of  the  city,  has  496,000  meters  set. 

The  city  was  first  lighted  by  gas  in  1850. 

Publishing  Interests.  The  City  Directory.  Once  every 
year  there  is  published  by  a private  publishing-house  a large 
volume  which  contains  the  names  and  addresses  of  all  per- 
sons living  in  Chicago,  besides  much  other  matter  of  infor- 
mation to  the  general  public. 

The  names  are  obtained  by  a systematic  canvass  of  the 
city  immediately  after  May  1st  of  each  year,  when  most 
changes  of  residence  occur.  The  book  is  ready  for  delivery 
by  July  15th. 

The  directory  of  1909  contains  768,600  names,  and  by  the 
computation  usually  made  the  population  of  the  city  is 
placed  at  2,462,600.  This  is  the  seventy-first  issue  which 
has  been  published.  It  required  500  persons  to  take  the 
names,  and  150  to  arrange  them  in  alphabetical  order. 

The  Chicago  Directory  of  1839  was  the  first  book  com- 
piled and  printed  in  Chicago.  It  contained  less  than  200 
names. 

Newspapers  and  Periodicals.  The  first  issue  of  a daily 
newspaper  in  Chicago  was  dated  April  9,  1839.  It  was 
named  The  Chicago  Daily  American. 

The  first  weekly  paper  was  called  The  Chicago  Democrat , 
edited,  printed,  and  published  by  John  Calhoun.  It  was 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


151 


dated  November  26,  1833.  It  was  this  paper  of  which,  in 
1836,  John  Wentworth,  familiarly  called  “Long  John,”  be- 
came the  proprietor,  and  which  he  continued  to  own  and 
publish  till  July,  1861. 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  the  state  was  probably 
The  Illinois  Herald,  established  in  1814  at  Ivaskaskia,  by 
Matthew  Duncan.  The  name  was  soon  changed  to  Illinois 
Intelligencer.  The  Illinois  Gazette  was  established  at 
Shawneetown  about  the  same  time. 

There  are  now  750  newspapers  and  periodicals  published 
in  Chicago. 

Electricity.  The  Commonwealth  Edison  Company  is 
one  of  the  most  important  of  Chicago’s  great  industrial  en- 
terprises. The  amount  of  capital  invested  reaches  nearly 
$60,000,000.  To  pay  the  interest  alone  on  this  investment- 
the  company  must  earn  from  $300  to  $400  an  hour.  An- 
other $100  an  hour  is  required  to  pay  taxes  and  compensa- 
tion to  the  city.  It  requires  about  150  tons  of  coal  each  hour 
to  keep  this  immense  plant  in  operation.  Extensions  in  the 
service  require  an  additional  investment  of  $5,000,000  or 
$6,000,000  annually. 

In  the  company’s  plant  at  Twenty-second  Street  and  the 
South  Branch  of  the  river  there  are  ten  turbine  engines 
with  a guaranteed  output  of  18,000  horsepower  each,  and  in 
the  smaller  plant  across  the  river  three  engines  with  a guar- 
anteed output  of  22,000  horsepower,  which  gives  the  com 
pany  a total  output  of  over  246,000  horsepower.  Of  thi  s 
amount,  by  agreement,  the  surface  and  elevated  railways 
consume  about  140,000  horsepower. 

The  power  furnished  to  residences  and  other  establish- 


152 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


ments  exclusive  of  other  public  service  corporations,  like 
the  street  railway  companies,  is  equivalent  to  5,252,000  six- 
teen-candle-power electric  lights,  sufficient  to  illuminate 
262,600  residences  with  20  lights  each.  The  value  of  this 
service  is  $4,927,306. 

The  gross  earnings  for  the  year  1909  were  $10,639,446; 
net  earnings,  $3,996,752. 

The  North  Shore  Electric  Company  has  main  plants  at 
Waukegan,  Blue  Island,  and  Maywood ; also  substations  at 
Chicago  Heights  and  Lake  Bluff.  Its  gross  earnings  in 
1909  were  $1,005,432;  its  operating  expenses,  $600,995. 
The  value  of  its  plants,  real  estate,  etc.,  is  $8,635,344.  . 

The  Corn  Products  Refining  Company  is  constructing 
a $5,000,000  plant  at  Summit,  on  the  canal,  eight  miles  from 
the  city. 

Lake  Steamboat  Lines.  Besides  the  various  steam- 
boat lines  maintained  in  connection  with  many  of  the  trunk 
lines  of  railroad,  there  are  several  independent  lines  for 
both  passenger  and  freight  traffic,  running  from  Chicago  to 
all  the  chief  points  on  the  Great  Lakes. 

The  Chicago  Telephone  Company  has  in  use,  in  the 
City  of  Chicago,  over  262,000  telephones. 

These  lines  require  615,973  miles  of  wire  within  the 
city,  of  which  539,065  miles  are  underground.  Thirty- 
two  exchanges  are  actively  engaged  in  handling  the  traf- 
fic. 

The  growth  during  the  past  few  years  has  been  very 
large,  31,364  telephones  having  been  added  during  the 
year  1910,  at  an  expenditure  of  $4,500,000  for  additions  to 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


153 


plant  and  equipment  and  22,755  stations  have  been  added 
to  November  1,  1911. 

In  addition  to  the  number  of  telephones  in  Chicago,  the 
company  operates  more  than  65,000  telephones  in  154 
suburban  cities  and  towns  in  ten  counties,  all  of  which 
connect  with  Chicago  by  direct  toll  lines.  The  daily  tele- 
phone traffic  in  Chicago  is  over  1,500,000  calls,  which 
exceeds  any  other  city  in  the  world. 

Ninety  per  cent  of  all  the  fire  alarm  calls  are  by  tele- 
phone. One  firm  of  packers  alone  has  an  average  of 
10,000  telephone  calls  daily.  There  are  also  about  67,000 
telephones  connected  with  private  exchanges ; one  estab- 
lishment having  141  lines  from  its  private  switchboard 
to  the  Central  Exchange,  which  furnishes  service  for  489 
telephones,  located  in  different  departments  of  the  estab- 
lishment. 

The  leading  hotels  have  telephones  in  each  room,  so 
that  their  guests  can  be  furnished  with  both  local  and 
Long  Distance  service  as  desired,  one  hotel  having  1,145 
telephones.  Many  of  the  prominent  restaurants  are 
equipped  with  special  service,  so  that  its  patrons  can  ob- 
tain service  without  leaving  the  table. 

The  charter  of  the  company  expires  January  8,  1929. 
By  this  charter  three  per  cent  of  the  gross  receipts  must 
be  paid  to  the  city,  in  addition  to  which  the  city  has 
free  telephone  service  in  the  City  Hall  and  the  right  to 
purchase  the  plant  January  1,  1919  or  1924,  at  an  ap- 
praised valuation. 

About  24,000  automatic  telephones  have  recently  been  in- 
stalled in  Chicago  by  the  Illinois  Tunnel  Company,  and  this 
number  will  soon  be  doubled.  This  company  has  entered 
into  a contract  with  the  independent  telephone  companies 


154 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


outside  of  Chicago  which  gives  them  connection  with  prac- 
tically all  the  leading  cities  and  towns  of  Illinois,  and  those 
of  other  states  are  constantly  being  added. 

The  Tunnel,  or  Subway.  A great  tunnel  under  the 
streets  of  Chicago  was  begun  in  September,  1901,  by  the 
Illinois  Telegraph  and  Tunnel  Company,  with  so  little  talk 
or  disturbance  that  comparatively  few  people  knew  anything 
about  it  till  several  miles  had  been  constructed.  Its  extent 
is  now  nearly  60  miles,  with  80  miles  of  tracks.  It  is  oper- 
ated by  electricity. 

As  yet  this  tunnel  is  used  exclusively  for  the  transporta- 
tion of  freight  and  mail  to  and  from  the  various  railroad 
stations.  It  is  claimed  that  30,000  tons  of  freight  are  hauled 
daily  by  this  company. 

The  tunnel  extends  42  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  and  is  longer  than  any  other  subway  in  the  world. 
The  main  lines  of  the  system  are  12.5  feet  wide  and  14  feet 
high,  but  the  greater  portion  are  6 by  7.5  feet.  On  the 
bottom  of  the  trunk  portion  of  the  system  there  is  a con- 
crete floor  21  inches  thick,  while  the  walls  are  protected  by 
a similar  concrete  18  inches  thick ; the  lateral  conduits  are 
protected  by  concrete  walls  13  inches  and  10  inches  thick. 

The  importance  of  this  great  tunnel  system  to  the  city  of 
Chicago  can  hardly  be  estimated.  In  the  single  item  of 
transportation  of  freight  to  and  from  the  railroad  stations 
millions  of  dollars  are  saved  and  thousands  of  loaded  trucks 
and  freight-wagons  are  taken  off  the  streets.  The  teaming 
to  and  from  the  stations  was  said  to  cost  more  than  $50,- 
000,000  a year.  It  employed  about  30,000  teams  almost 
continually  on  the  streets  in  the  most  congested  district.  It 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


155 


is  estimated  that  $57,000,000  was  invested  in  these  trucks 
and  teams,  and  100,000  tons  of  freight  were  handled  daily. 
The  tunnel  relieved  the  streets,  the  people,  and  the  shippers 
from  much  of  this  crushing  burden,  by  carrying  the  freight 
under  the  ground,  and  leaving  the  surface  for  the  people  to 
pass  to  and  fro  with  a minimum  of  danger  and  discomfort. 
In  making  excavations  for  new  buildings  the  dirt  was  car- 
ried off  through  the  tunnel  and  dumped  on  the  lake  shore, 
instead  of  being  carted  through  the  streets.  The  delivery 
of  nearly  100,000  tons  of  coal  each  year  is  accomplished 
through  the  tunnel  instead  of  being  carted  through  the 
streets. 

The  tunnel  extends  north  to  Superior  Street,  south  to 
Sixteenth  Street,  and  west  to  Halsted  street. 

Financial. 

The  following  figures  are  for  the  year  1909: — 

Total  clearings  of  Chicago  state  and  national  banks,  $13,- 
781,843,612. 

Total  deposits  of  Chicago  state  and  national  banks,  $800,- 

000,000. 

Clearings  of  the  66  banks  in  the  city,  about  $35,000,000 
daily. 

Total  deposits  of  Chicago  savings  banks,  $170,000,000. 
Amount  of  checks  exchanged  at  the  clearing  house  in  1909 
in  excess  of  amount  in  1908,  about  $1,900,000,000,  or 
nearly  16  per  cent. 

Amount  collected  by  County  Treasurer  for  general  taxes, 
$37,464,684.81. 

Amount  collected  by  County  Treasurer  for  special  assess- 
ments, $4,264,814.67. 


156 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Amount  paid  by  County  Comptroller  for  salaries  of  all 
county  employees,  $2,587,533.26. 

Insurance  losses  paid  for  fires  within  the  city  limits, 

$4,901,580. 

Amount  of  trading  done  on  the  Chicago  Stock  Exchange, 
1,604,118  shares  of  stock;  par  value  of  bonds,  $14,880,- 
500,  nearly  double  that  of  1908. 

Aggregate  par  value  of  securities  listed  on  the  Chicago 
Stock  Exchange,  $568,082,250,  of  which  $481,660,000 
were  stocks,  and  $87,422,250  were  bonds. 

Aggregate  value  of  real  and  personal  property  in  Cook 
County  as  named  by  the  Board  of  Review,  for  1909, 
$2,437,656,231,  an  increase  of  $102,702,761  over  the  total 
for  1908. 

Real  estate  transfers  recorded  in  Cook  County,  32,821 ; con- 
sideration for  same,  $146,690,193. 

Manufactures.  The  following  figures  represent  the  to- 
tal value  of  the  articles  named  manufactured  in  Chicago 
in  1909:— 

Men’s  clothing,  $68,006,000. 

Womens’  clothing,  $60,000,000. 

Flour,  $6,000,000. 

Wool,  $15,000,000. 

Flowers,  $2,000,000. 

Furniture,  $24,500,000. 

Shoes,  $18,216,000. 

Musical  instruments,  $15,840,000. 

Farm  implements,  $100,000,000. 

Beer,  barrels,  4,815,337. 

Brick,  $6,750,000. 


COMMERCIAL  FEATURES  OF  CHICAGO 


157 


The  total  value  of  manufactured  goods  produced  by  Chi- 
cago in  1909  was,  according  to  The  Chicago  Record  Herald, 
$1,342,306,000.  These  were  manufactured  in  8,159  differ- 
ent plants,  some  of  which  employ  from  10,000  to  13,000 
men,  and  do  a business  exceeding  $100,000,000  a year. 

The  wholesale  trade  for  1909  was  $1,763,150,000.  Sev- 
eral wholesale  firms  do  a business  each  year  amounting  to 
$25,000,000,  and  a few  reach  double  that  amount. 

Sales.  The  following  figures  represent  the  aggregate 
sales  in  Chicago  during  1909,  of  the  products  named : — 


Cigars,  tobacco,  etc $22,000,000 

Leather  28,800,000 

Cement  8,000,000 

Furniture  39,800,000 

Furs  19,008,000 

Coal 47,300,000 

Jewelry  50,000,000 

Musical  instruments  22,000,000 

Drugs,  wholesale 30,500,000 

Typewriters  9,200,000 

Heavy  hardware  90,000,000 


The  capital  stock  of  Swift  and  Company,  packers,  is  $60,- 
000,000,  held  by  over  12,000  persons. 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES  OF 
CHICAGO 


Chicago  has  been  personified  as  an  Amazonian  warrior 
wearing  the  dress  of  the  Goddess  of  Liberty,  with  the  words 
“I  WILL”  across  her  breast,  in  large  letters. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  river  on  the  north  and  west, 
Twelfth  Street  on  the  south,  and  the  lake  on  the  east,  there 
is  more  business  transacted  than  in  any  other  spot  in  the 
world,  of  equal  size.  There  are  more  teams  in  the  streets, 
more  street-railway  cars  filled  with  passengers,  and  more 
pedestrians  within  these  limits  than  can  be  found  within 
the  same  space  in  any  other  city  on  the  face  of  the  globe. 

Chicago  has  long  been  called  the  “Garden  City,”  prob- 
ably on  account  of  the  many  beautiful  residences  surrounded 
by  garden-like  grounds  in  the  southern  outskirts  in  its  early 
days,  possibly  because  of  the  many  real  gardens  on  the 
northern  boundary,  which  furnish  a livelihood  for  many 
foreigners  the  year  round.  The  motto  of  the  city  adopted 
in  its  early  days  is  “Urbs  in  Horto.” 

Public  Recreation  and  Art.  While  Chicago  is  noted 
chiefly  for  its  remarkable  growth  and  the  great  development 
of  its  commercial  and  industrial  interests,  it  may  well  claim 
distinction  for  its  literary,  artistic,  and  social  achievements. 

The  Parks  of  Chicago.  There  are  four  distinct  boards 
of  commissioners  which  have  under  their  supervision  all 

158 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


159 


the  public  parks  of  the  city,  besides  the  Special  Park  Com- 
missioners. 

1 The  South  Park  Commissioners,  five  in  number,  who 
are  appointed  by  the  judges  of  the  Circuit  Court  for  a period 
of  five  years.  The  South  Park, system  comprises  Jackson 
Park,  of  542  acres;  Washington  Park,  of  371  acres;  Mar- 
quette Park,  of  323  acres ; Grant  Park,  of  205  acres ; 33 
miles  of  connecting  boulevards,  and  twenty  smaller  parks, 
comprising  in  all  602  acres,  making  a total  of  2,044  acres 
beside  the  boulevards. 

A unique  feature  of  these  parks  is  the  field  house  in  each, 
comprising  a gymnasium  for  men  and  boys,  and  another 
for  women  and  girls,  with  trained  physical  directors ; also 
baths,  reading-rooms,  luncheon  counters,  club  rooms,  and 
an  assembly  hall.  Outside  of  each  building  are  gymna- 
siums, swimming-pools,  and  band  stands.  Branch  libraries 
are  established  in  some  of  them,  with  other  features  de- 
signed for  the  benefit  of  residents  of  the  neighborhood. 

Jackson  Park  is. famous  for  having  been  the  site  of  the 
World’s  Columbian  Exposition  in  1893.  In  it  is  located 
the  Field  Columbian  Museum  of  Ethnology,  Natural  His- 
tory, and  Archaeology.  The  museum  is  open  from  9 a.  m. 
till  4 p.  m.  Admission  is  free  on  Saturday  and  Sunday ; on 
other  days  twenty-five  cents  is  charged. 

This  museum  is  now  being  reconstructed  on  a much  more 
elaborate  scale,  and  will  be  located  in  the  north  part  of  the 
park. 

Grant  Park,  on  the  lake  front,  from  Park  Row  to  the 
river,  is  being  enlarged  to  five  times  its  present  size,  and 
will  be  elaborately  improved.  It  is  the  purpose  of  the  Park 


160 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Commissioners  to  make  this  park  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  impressive  of  all  public  parks  to  be  found  anywhere 
in  the  world.  An  immense  stadium,  or  exhibition  ground, 
will  be  constructed  east  of  the  tracks  of  the  Illinois  Central 
railroad,  where  numerous  driveways  have  already  been  laid 
out.  All  this  extensive  area  east  of  the  tracks  is  new  land, 
having  been  formed  by  the  receding  of  the  lake  shore  and 
filling  in  by  dumping  the  excavations  from  the  canal  and 
the  subway. 

To  protect  the  shore  of  Jackson  Park  from  encroachment 
of  the  lake,  a docking  of  sheet  piling  is  being  driven  entirely 
around  the  margin  of  the  harbor,  and  a small  granite  rubble 
wall,  backed  with  concrete,  has  been  constructed  at  greater 
or  less  distance  from  the  piling.  At  the  close  of  1910,  the 
total  length  of  docking  constructed  was  1,092  feet,  and  of 
wall,  1,063  feet.  The  wall  varies  in  height  from  one  foot 
to  five  feet. 

2 The  West  Park  Commissioners,  seven  in  number,  ap- 
pointed by  the  Governor.  The  West  Park  system  com- 
prises Humboldt  Park,  of  205  acres;  Garfield  Park,  of  187 
acres ; Douglas  Park,  of  182  acres ; with  nine  smaller  parks, 
and  25  miles  of  boulevards,  which  occupy  54  acres ; a total 
of  628  acres. 

3 The  Lincoln  Park  Commissioners,  seven  in  number, 
appointed  by  the  Governor.  The  Lincoln  Park  system  com- 
prises Lincoln  Park,  of  506  acres ; with  five  smaller  parks, 
and  9.23  miles  of  boulevards,  aggregating  148  acres,  making 
a total  of  654  acres. 

Lincoln  Park  is  the  oldest  of  the  greater  city  parks.  The 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


161 


south  sixty  acres  was  originally  one  of  the  main  cemeteries 
of  the  city.  In  1865  an  ordinance  was  passed  forbidding 
any  more  burials  in  this  cemetery,  and  opening  what  was 
then  called  Lake  Park.  In  1869  the  Council  changed  the 
name  of  the  whole  to  Lincoln  Park,  and  the  State  Legisla- 
ture passed  an  act  creating  the  Board  of  Lincoln  Park  Com- 
missioners, but  the  park  was  not  legally  opened  till  1874. 

Persons  holding  lots  in  the  old  cemetery  were  given  an 
equivalent  in  Graceland,  farther  north,  and  the  bodies  of 
those  buried  in  the  cemetery  were  nearly  all  removed. 

Lincoln  Park  is  the  most  popular  of  all  the  parks,  and 
contains  one  of  the  largest  and  most  complete  zoological 
gardens  in  the  world.  There  are  upward  of  1,200  animals 
in  it.  The  park  contains  one  lagoon  a mile  in  length. 
The  Academy  of  Sciences,  containing  250,000  specimens,  is 
located  in  this  park,  opposite  Center  Street.  The  Museum 
is  open  from  9 a.  m.  till  5 p.  m.  on  Wednesdays,  and  from 
1 to  5 p.  M.  on  Sundays.  There  is  no  charge  for  admission. 

The  South,  West,  and  Lincoln  Park  Systems  together 
comprise  3,533.19  acres.  They  are  maintained  by  funds  de- 
rived from  a direct  tax  upon  the  three  divisions  of  the  city. 
They  include  also  the  boulevards  connecting  them,  as  far 
as  completed.  Drexel  and  Grand  Boulevards  are  said  to 
be  the  finest  on  the  continent.  They  are  two  hundred  feet 
wide  and  magnificently  adorned  with  floral  decorations,  and 
are  lined  on  each  side  with,  beautiful  and  costly  residences. 

4 The  North  Shore  Park  Commissioners.  This  district 
has  no  parks  as  yet,  but  the  board  has  jurisdiction  over  four 
miles  of  boulevards,  including  Sheridan  Road,  Ashland 
Avenue,  and  Pratt  Boulevard.  The  district  extends  from 


162 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Devon  Avenue  north  to  the  city  limits,  and  from  the  lake 
to  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  Railway. 

Monuments  in  Lincoln  Park.  1 Lincoln  Monument. 
Designed  by  St.  Gaudens.  Erected  in  1887  by  a bequest  of 
Eli  Bates,  amounting  to  $50,000.  The  inscription  on  the 
monument  is  from  the  immortal  speech  of  Lincoln  at  Get- 
tysburg: “With  malice  toward  none,  with  charity  for  all, 

with  firmness  in  the  right  as  God  gives  us  to  see  the  right, 
let  us  strive  on.  Let  us  have  faith  that  right  makes  might, 
and  in  that  faith  let  us  to  the  end  dare  to  do  our  duty  as  we 
understand  it.” 

2 Grant  Equestrian  Statue.  Erected  by  the  citizens  of 
Chicago,  by  popular  subscriptions  of  one  dollar  or  more. 
It  is  said  to  be  the  largest  bronze  figure  ever  cast  in  Amer- 
ica. Its  cost  was  $65,000.  It  is  eighteen  feet  three  inches 
in  height.  At  its  unveiling  in  1891  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  persons  were  assembled  to  witness  the  ceremony. 

3 Indian  Group — “The  Alarm.”  The  gift  of  Martin 
A.  Ryerson  in  1884.  Cost  $14,000. 

4 Statue  of  Schiller.  Presented  by  the  German-Amer- 
ican  Society  of  Chicago  in  1886.  Cost  $8,000. 

5.  Statue  of  Robert  Cavelier  de  LaSalle.  Presented  by 
Judge  Lambert  Tree  in  1889. 

6 Statue  of  Linne  (Linnaeus).  Presented  by  Swedish- 
American  citizens  in  1891. 

7 Statue  of  Shakespeare.  Presented  by  English  citizens 
in  1893. 

8 Statue  of  Benjamin  Franklin.  Presented  by  Joseph 
Medill  in  1896. 

9 Statue  of  Hans  Christian  Andersen.  Presented  by 
Hans  Christian  Andersen  Memorial  Association  in  1896 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


163 


10  Equestrian  Statue  of  Indian  Messenger — “The  Sig- 
nal of  Peace."  Presented  by  Judge  Lambert  Tree  in  1894. 

11  Bust  of  Beethoven.  Presented  by  Carl  Wolfsohn  in 
1897. 

There,  are  also  statues  of  Garibaldi,  Goethe,  and  a bowlder 
with  an  inscription  which  marks  the  approximate  burial 
place  of  David  Kennison,  the  last  survivor  of  the  “Boston 
Tea  Party.” 

Other  Monuments  in  the  City.  In  Union  Park  there  is  a 
monument  to  commemorate  the  Haymarket  Riot,  also  a 
statue  of  Carter  H.  Harrison. 

In  Garfield  Park  there  are  statues  of  Queen  Victoria  and 
Robert  Burns. 

In  Grant  Park  there  is  an  equestrian  statue  of  Major- 
General  John  A.  Logan. 

At  the  foot  of  Thirty-fifth  Street  there  is  a monument 
surmounted  by  a statue  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas. 

In  McKinley  Park  is  a statue  of  William  McKinley. 

At  the  corner  of  Calumet  Avenue  and  Eighteenth  Street 
is  a statue  commemorating  the  Fort  Dearborn  massacre, 
erected  by  George  M.  Pullman. 

At  Grand  Boulevard  and  Fifty-first  Street  there  is  a statue 
of  Washington. 

In  Humboldt  Park  there  are  statues  of  Humboldt,  Leif 
Ericson,  Reuter,  and  Kosciusko. 

In  a triangle  formed  by  the  intersection  of  South  Chicago 
Avenue,  Exchange  Avenue,  and  Ninety-second  Street,  is 
located  -the  Columbus  Memorial  Fountain,  which  was  pre- 
sented to  the  city  by  John  B.  Drake.  This  fountain  for- 
merly stood  outside  the  old  City  Hall. 


164 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  Special  Park  Commission  is  composed  of  twenty- 
seven  members,  fifteen  of  whom  are  appointed  by  the  Mavor, 
under  authority  of  the  City  Council,  six  by  this  Commission, 
one  from  each  of  the  three  other  park  boards,  two  from  the 
County  Board,  and  one  from  the  Board  of  Education. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  forty-five  smaller  parks 
under  improvement  by  the  Commission,  and  sixteen  larger 
parks  not  improved. 

Municipal  Playgrounds.  The  Special  Park  Commission 
has  supervision  over  fourteen  municipal  playgrounds,  vary- 
ing in  area  from  one  to  five  acres,  in  which  more  than  two 
million  children  assemble  to  play  in  the  course  of  a year. 

These  playgrounds  are  under  a Superintendent  of  Public 
Playgrounds  and  Bathing-Beaches,  who  has  full  police 
power,  and  directs  all  the  athletics  of  the  boys. 

Each  playground  has,  also,  an  experienced  Director,  who 
coaches  the  older  boys  in  track  and  field  athletics,  and  su- 
pervises the  various  sports  and  exercises,  without  expense 
to  those  who  participate. 

Statistics  prove  that  small  parks  and  playgrounds  are 
important  agencies  for  the  prevention  of  juvenile  delin- 
quency. 

The  Commission  says  that  many  boys  who  might  have 
been  members  of  street-corner  gangs,  through  the  influence 
of  these  playgrounds  have  become  the  athletic  teams  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  the  records  of  the  Juvenile  Court,  the 
officers  of  the  Health  Department,  and  the  principals  of  the 
public  schools  unite  in  testifying  to  the  value  of  these  play- 
grounds as  deterrents  in  crime,  truancy,  and  disease  among 
children. 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


165 


Usually  a police-officer  is  on  duty  at  each  playground,  and 
during  the  vacation  season  a lady  assistant,  who  is  a trained 
kindergartner,  leads  the  smaller  children  in  their  games  and 
exercises,  and  instructs  them  in  raffia-weaving. 

The  municipal  playgrounds  are  open  day  and  night,  seven 
days  of  the  week,  and  some  of  the  larger  ones  are  kept  open 
in  the  winter  also,  and  flooded  for  skating  and  other  winter 
sports. 

Chicago  is  conceded  to  lead  the  world  in  its  system  of 
small  parks  and  playgrounds,  in  area,  number,  facilities, 
artistic  effect,  and  gymnastic  and  athletic  activities. 

The  whole  number  of  parks  in  the  city  is  now  ninety- 
nine,  covering  3,533.19  acres,  including  the  boulevards, 
which  extend  63.33  miles,  and  form  a continuous  driveway 
around  the  city,  terminating  in  Lake  Michigan  on  the  north 
and  the  south. 

Bathing-Beaches.  There  are  two  bathing-beaches  main- 
tained under  the  supervision  of  the  Special  Park  Commis- 
sion, open  from  8 A.  M.  until  8 p.  M.  daily  from  the  middle 
of  June  till  the  middle  of  September.  A Director,  a staff 
of  men  and  women  attendants,  and  a life-saver  are  at  hand 
at  all  hours  when  the  baths  are  in  use.  In  the  season  of 
1908  384,865  bathers  used  the  beaches. 

Tree  Planting.  By  an  ordinance  passed  in  March,  1909, 
the  Special  Park  Commission  has  control  of  all  trees  and 
shrubbery  growing  in  the  public  streets.  The  Commission 
is  also  authorized  to  appoint  a City  Forester,  who  directsi 
• assists,  and  advises  persons  wishing  to  plant  trees,  and  has 
general  charge  of  the  care  of  trees  in  the  streets.  He  issues 
bulletins  for  the  information  and  guidance  of  the  public. 


16G 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  ordinance  requires  the  owners  of  building-lots  to 
keep  their  trees  trimmed  to  a height  of  ten  feet  above  the 
ground.  Trees  must  not  be  planted  less  than  twenty-five 
feet  apart,  nor  less  than  two  feet  from  the  sidewalk,  and 
no  trees  may  be  planted  in  or  removed  from  the  streets 
until  the  City  Forester  has  granted  a permit.  Horses  must 
not  be  hitched  to  trees  or  their  guards,  nor  within  five  feet 
of  them ; nor  may  any  one  attach  a rope,  wire,  sign,  or  hand- 
bill of  any  kind  to  a tree  or  its  guard. 

The  Forest  Preserve.  In  1904  the  legislature  appointed 
a Commission  for  the  purpose  of  providing  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a .metropolitan  system  of  parks  and  boulevards 
within  the  county  and  encircling  the  city  from  Calumet  on 
the  south  to  Winnetka  on  the  north.  The  work  of  this 
Commission  has  been  suspended  for  the  purpose  of  com- 
bining its  recommendations  with  the  plans  for  a New 
Chicago. 

Private  Amusement  Parks.  Besides  the  public  recrea- 
tion parks,  there  are  many  private  amusement  parks,  three 
of  these  being  of  magnificent  proportions.  The  admission 
fee  is  usually  ten  cents,  but  there  is  an  additional  fee  for 
entering  each  of  the  numerous  enclosures  within,  where 
some  special  form  of  amusement  is  presented. 

The  Playground  Association  of  America,  in  its  year  book 
for  1909,  reports  the  expenditures  for  playgrounds  as  fol- 
lowsChicago,  $500,000;  New  York,  $123,000;  Boston, 
$55,000;  Philadelphia,  $30,934;  St.  Louis,  $6,135. 

The  New  Chicago.  The  Chicago  Commercial  Club,  at 
an  expense  of  $100,000,  has  published  an  elaborate  plan  for 
improving  and  beautifying  Chicago,  which  has  met  the  ap- 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


167 


proval  of  the  City  Council  and  is  generally  accepted  as  a 
plan  which  will  be  followed  as  far  as  possible  in  the  future 
development  of  the  city.  The  Mayor  has  appointed  a Com- 
mission for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  carrying  out  the  pro- 
posed scheme  as  fast  as  practicable. 

According  to  this  scheme  the  civic  center  of  Chicago 
will  be  located  at  the  intersection  of  Congress  and  Hal- 
sted  Streets,  where  an  Administration  Building  will  be 
constructed,  from  which  radiate  broad  avenues  in  eight  or 
ten  different  directions. 

There  is  a growing  sentiment  in  favor  of  making  Chi- 
cago a “city  beautiful,”  as  well  as  a prosperous  city.  There 
are  a dozen  or  more  clubs  and  leagues  whose  chief  pur- 
pose is  to  bring  about  such  a result.  The  “Chicago  plan” 
provides  for  extensive  development  of  the  present  park 
system,  reaching  far  into  the  country,  the  widening  and 
beautifying  of  Michigan  Avenue,  and  the  transformation 
of  Twelfth  Street  into  a boulevard  of  unusual  width. 

In  1909  the  legislature  passed  an  act  making  it  possible 
for  Chicago  to  acquire  some  200,000  acres  of  this  outer 
park  belt  for  the  purpose  desired.  It  remains  now  only 
for  certain  legal  formalities  to  be  carried  out,  when  Chi- 
cago will  have  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  most  at- 
tractive park  systems  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  coun- 
try. 

The  City  Art  Commission.  By  an  act  of  the  legisla- 
ture, which  went  into  force  July  1,  1899,  cities  may  create 
an  Art  Commission  with  full  power  to  pass  upon  the  pur- 
chase, or  acceptance  as  a gift,  and  the  location,  of  all 
works  of  art  which  may  be  tendered  to  the  city.  Such  a 


168  CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 

commission  was  established  by  the  City  Council  of  Chicago, 
February  11,  1901. 

It  is  the  duty  of  this  Commission  to  inspect,  and  approve 
or  condemn,  any  work  of  art  offered  for  purchase  or  as  a 
gift  to  the  city.  Unless  approved  by  the  Art  Commission, 
it  may  not  be  placed  anywhere  on  or  within  the  property 
of  the  city. 

The  Mayor  or  City  Council  may  ask  this  Commission  to  . 
pass  judgment  on  designs  for  buildings,  bridges,  approaches, 
gates,  lamps,  etc.,  which  are  to  be  erected  on  land  belonging 
to  the  city,  or  in  the  parks  and  boulevards. 

The  Commission  consists  of  the  'Mayor,  the  President  of 
the  Art  Institute,  and  the  Presidents  of  the  Lincoln,  West, 
and  South  Park  Boards  of  Commissioners,  with  a painter, 
a sculptor,  and  an  architect,  all  residents  of  the  city,  and 
appointed  by  the  Mayor. 

No  salaries  are  paid  to  the  members  of  the  Commission, 
but  each  one  is  allowed  one  hundred  dollars  for  expenses. 

The  Municipal  Art  League  was  incorporated  January 
30,  1901,  for  the  purpose  of  developing  the  artistic  features 
of  the  city,  in  both  public  and  private  buildings  and 
grounds.  It  is  a private  corporation,  and  possesses  only 
advisory  powers.  Its  board  of  directors  includes  the  Mayor 
or  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Works,  three  Park  Com- 
missioners, three  sculptors,  three  architects,  and  three 
painters. 

The  Leading  Museums  in  Chicago  are  the  Field  Colum- 
bian Museum,  the  Chicago  Academy  of  Sciences,  the  Mu- 
nicipal Museum  of  Chicago,  the  Chicago  Art  Institute,  and 
tb*  Chicago  Historical  Society  Museum. 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


169 


Fountains.  The  chief  public  fountains  in  the  city  are 
the  Drake,  or  Columbus  Memorial  Fountain,  on  the  corner 
of  Ninety-second  Street,  South  Chicago  Avenue,  and  Ex- 
change Avenue;  the  Drexel,  on  Drexel  Boulevard,  near 
Fifty-first  Street ; and  the  Rosenberg,  at  the  south  end  of 
Grant  Park. 

Cemeteries  in  Chicago.  There  are  fifty  cemeteries  re- 
quired for  burying  the  dead  of  Chicago,  some  of  the  most 
important  of  which  are  the  following : — 

Mount  Greemvood  Cemetery,  on  One  Hundred  and 
Eleventh  Street,  or  Morgan  Avenue,  between  California 
and  Western  Avenues,  sixteen  and  a half  miles  from  the 
City  Hall.  It  comprises  80  acres,  on  a heavily  timbered 
ridge,  in  some  places  seventy  feet  above  the  lake. 

Graceland  Cemetery  comprises  128  acres,  on  North  Clark 
Street,  five  miles  from  the  City  Hall,  extending  a mile  north 
and  south  along  an  elevated  ridge.  The  Graceland  Ceme- 
tery Company  was  chartered  in  1861.  All  lots  in  the  ceme- 
tery are  exempt  from  taxation,  also  from  execution  and  at- 
tachment. A sinking-fund  is  created  by  reserving  10  per 
cent  of  the  gross  proceeds  of  sale  of  burial  lots.  With  this 
fund  the  expenses  are  paid  for  the  perpetual  maintenance 
of  the  cemetery.  The  fund  is  held  and  managed  by  trustees 
elected  by  the  lot-owners. 

Calvary  Cemetery  is  located  ten  miles  north  of  the  City 
Hall,  in  the  south  part  of  Evanston.  It  contains  100  acres. 
It  was  first  opened  in  1861.  The  number  of  interments  is 
now  about  200,000,  and  all  the  lots  are  occupied. - 

Waldheim  Cemetery  is  located  ten  miles  west  of  the  City 
Hall,  on  Harrison  Street. 


170 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Oakzvoods  Cemetery  is  located  on  Sixty-seventh  Street 
and  Greenwood  Avenue,  nine  miles  south.  It  contains  182 
acres. 

Rose  Hill,  seven  miles  north,  contains  500  acres.  It 
lies  from  thirty  to  forty  feet  above  Lake  Michigan,  and  a 
large  part  of  it  is  covered  with  native  oaks. 

St.  Boniface  is  on  North  Clark  Street,  adjoining 
Lawrence  Avenue,  about  six  miles  from  the  City  Hall.  It 
contains  30  acres. 

St.  Maria  contains  102  acres.  It  is  thirteen  miles  south, 
near  Eighty-seventh  Street  and  the  Grand  Trunk  Railway. 

The  German  Lutheran  Cemetery  is  six  miles  north,  at 
the  corner  of  North  Clark  Street  and  Graceland  Avenue. 
It  contains  14.5  acres. 

Mount  Hope  is  sixteen  miles  south,  near  Morgan  Park. 

Mount  Olive  is  twelve  miles  north,  on  Sixty-fourth  Ave- 
nue, near  West  Irving  Park  Boulevard.  It  contains  41 
acres. 

Mount  Olivet  contains  80  acres,  located  sixteen  and  a 
half  miles  southwest,  near  Morgan  Park. 

Forest  Home  is  ten  miles  west,  on  Madison  and  Twelfth 
Streets ; it  contains  86  acres. 

Concordia  is  nine  miles  west  on  Madison  Street,  con- 
tiguous to  Forest  Home ; it  contains  80  acres. 

There  are  also  sixteen  other  cemeteries,  not  named  in 
the  records. 

More  than  1,000,000  people  lie  buried  in  these  cemeteries, 
which  is  more  than  one-third  of  the  present  population  of 
the  city.  Nearly  100,000  new  graves  are  made  every  year. 

The  oldest  cemetery  in  the  city,  in  present  use,  is  Union 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


171 


Ridge  Cemetery,  just  outside  of  Norwood  Park.  The  first 
burial  there  was  in  1841. 

The  first  cemeteries  in  Chicago  were  laid  out  in  1835, 
one  of  16  acres  on  the  South  Side,  near  the  lake  shore  and 
Twenty-third  Street,  and  one  of  10  acres  on  the  North 
Side,  near  Chicago  Avenue,  east  of  Clark  Street. 

There  are  three  crematories  in  Chicago,  one  at  Graceland, 
one  at  Montrose,  and  one  at  Oakwoods. 

The  River  Tunnels.  There  are  three  tunnels  under  the 
Chicago  River,  each  used  for  street  cars  only. 

The  Washington  Street  Tunnel  was  built  in  1867-69.  Its 
length  is  1,605  feet  ; its  cost  was  $517,000. 

The  LaSalle  Street  Tunnel  was  built  in  1869-71.  Its 
length  is  1,890  feet;  its  cost  was  $566,000. 

The  Van  Buren  Street  Tunnel  was  built  in  1891-92.  Its 
length  is  1,514  feet;  its  cost  was  $1,000,000. 

All  of  these  tunnels  are  now  being  reconstructed  and 
lowered,  to  facilitate  the  passage  of  vessels  of  heavier  draft. 

The  Newsboys.  There  are  from  4,500  to  5,000  news- 
boys in  Chicago.  These  newsboys  are  not  the  hoodlums 
of  twenty-five  years  ago,  but  are  for  the  most  part  boys 
who  have  homes.  Many  of  them  are  the  sole  support  of 
their  homes,  and  others  support  only  themselves. 

There  is  a remarkable  esprit  dc  corps  among  newsboys. 
While  quarrels  among  themselves  are  not  infrequent,  they 
quickly  unite  in  defending  one  of  their  number  against 
any  imposition  or  abuse  from  an  outsider. 

There  is  a kind  of  Protective  Association  among  them, 
similar  in  some  respects  to  a labor  union.  There  is  also 
a Benevolent  Association,  which  is  entirely  sustained  by 


172 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  Daily  News.  In  their  delivery-room  there  is  a lunch 
maintained,  and  The  Daily  Nezvs  turns  in  the  rental  of  this 
lunch-room  to  the  funds  of  the  association.  These  funds 
are  used  to  pay  expenses  incurred  for  medical  or  hospital 
service,  and  for  funerals,  etc. 

The  Daily  News  Band  and  the  Zouaves  are  maintained 
by  The  Daily  News.  It  is  a kind  of  reward  of  merit  for  a 
boy  to  be  admitted  to  the  military  company. 

By  far  the  largest  part  of  the  papers  sold  by  newsboys 
are  evening  papers.  The  boys  acquire  certain  corners, 
which  they  preempt  for  their  exclusive  use,  and  the  trade 
of  a certain  corner  often  becomes  so  valuable  that  it  is  re- 
garded as  a property,  and  is  sold  for  a considerable  sum  of 
money,  sometimes  as  much  as  two  thousand  dollars.  On 
a good  corner  a boy’s  profits  sometimes  run  as  high  as  four 
to  five  dollars  a day. 

As  a rule,  the  boys  are  bright  and  intelligent.  Their  life 
brings  them  into  contact  with  all  phases  of  business,  and 
their  wits  are  sharpened  and  their  brains  developed,  so  that 
many  of  them  later  become  successful  business  men.  Many 
of  Chicago’s  most  eminent  men  began  their  careers  as  news- 
boys. 

Formerly,  the  boys  were  mostly  Irish,  then  German,  and 
later  many  Jews  took  up  the  business;  but  at  the  present 
time  the  majority  of  the  boys  are  Italians. 

The  Languages  of  Chicago.  Forty-three  languages 
and  dialects  are  spoken  in  Chicago.  With  the  exception  of 
Berlin,  Hamburg,  and  New  York  city,  there  are  more  Ger- 
mans in  Chicago  than  in  any  other  city  in  the  world.  In 
Chicago  there  are  nearly  as  many  Bohemians  as  there  are 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


173 


in  Prague;  more  Irish  than  in  any  other  city  except  Dublin  ; 
nearly  as  many  Scandinavians  as  in  Stockholm,  and  more 
Jews  than  can  be  found  in  Palestine.  One  public  school  is 
said  to  have  children  from  homes  where  forty-eight  different 
languages  are  spoken. 

There  are  fourteen  languages  besides  English  spoken  in 
Chicago  by  permanent  colonies  of  more  than  ten  thousand 
persons  each. 

Newspapers  are  published  regularly  in  ten  languages, 
and  about  twenty  churches  have  services  conduced  in 
as  many  different  languages. 

Nativity  of  Chicago’s  Population.  The  Chicago  City 
Manual  for  1909  gives  the  following  table  as  representing 
the  population  of  the  city  by  the  nativity  of  its  inhabitants : 


*American  699,554 

Germans  563,708 

Irish  240.560 

Poles  173,409 

Swedes  143,307 

Russians  123,238 

Bohemians  116,549 

English  70,753 

Italians  70,753 

Norwegians  57, 117 

Canadians  54,801 

Negroes  45,024 

Scotch  27,787 

Austrians  60,462 

Danish  24,957 

Hollanders  23,38 7 

Hungarians  21,869 

Lithuanians  10,291 

Swiss  7,204 


Greeks  5,660 

Roumanians  4,372 

Belgians  3.616 

Welsh  3,602 

Finns  1,286 

Chinese  1,801 

Servians  978 

Croatians  772 

Armenians  515 

Spanish  540 

Japanese  257 

Mexicans  154 

Syrians  154 

Egyptians  180 

Manx  87 

Albanians  39 

Others  4,315 


Total  Population 2,572,835 


* Only  those  classed  as  American  whose  parents  are  not  foreign  born. 


174 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


South  Water  Street  Market.  One  of  the  interesting 
features  of  Chicago  is  the  market  on  South  Water  Street, 
extending  from  State  to  Franklin.  Here  are  from  two 
hundred  to  three  hundred  commission  firms  dealing  in 
fruits,  vegetables,  poultry,  eggs,  and  butter.  From  four  to 
five  o'clock  in  the  morning  this  street  begins  to  be  packed 
with  wagons  from  the  freight  depots  and  the  farms  con- 
tiguous to  the  city.  The  sidewalks  are  crowded  full  of 
merchandise,  and  the  wagons  are  backed  up  to  the  curbs 
on  each  side  as  closely  as  they  can  stand,  for  the  whole 
length  of  the  street.  As  the  street  is  narrow,  there  is 
scarcely  room  for  a team  to  pass  along  the  center  of  it, 
and  passage  for  pedestrians  on  the  sidewalk  is  even  more 
difficult.  Ten  to  fifteen  thousand  wagons  visit  this  crowded 
street  every  day. 

To  give  some  idea  of  the  great  amount  of  business  done 
here,  it  may  be  stated  that  about  2,600,000  cases  of  stored 
eggs  are  shipped  from  this  market  each  year,  and  866,000 
cases  are  used  locally.  Besides  these,  there  are  about 
1,732,000  cases  of  fresh  eggs  required  for  local  use,  making 
a total  of  2,598,000  cases,  or  935,280,000  eggs  used  in  Chi- 
cago in  one  year. 

The  average  wholesale  business  in  eggs  alone  is  between 
$25,000,000  and  $30,000,000  a year. 

The  butter  business  is  about  two-thirds  as  large. 

From  650,000  to  1,000,000  barrels  of  apples  are  handled 
in  this  market  each  year.  The  average  price  being  about 
$3-5°  Per  barrel,  the  maximum  value  reaches  $3,500,000. 

California  furnishes  most  of  the  oranges  and  lemons, 
though  some  come  from  Florida  and  some  from  Italy. 

The  sale  of  bananas  amounts  to  $1,200,000  at  wholesale 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


175 


prices.  It  is  estimated  that  151,200,000  bananas  are  dis- 
posed of  in  Chicago  each  year. 

Chicago  as  a Convention  City.  The  first  great  con- 
vention held  in  Chicago  was  the  River  and  Harbor  Con- 
vention of  July,  1847.  This  convention  brought  to  the 
young  city  the  largest  concourse  of  people  that  had  ever 
been  seen  in  the  western  metropolis,  and  was  said  by  Thur- 
low  Weed,  who  was  president,  to  be  ‘‘the  largest  deliberative 
body  that  ever  as-sembled.”  Those  present  came  from  vari- 
ous states,  nineteen  at  least,  and  on  returning  home  were 
loud  in  their  praises  of  Chicago  and  its  future  possibilities. 
The  purpose  of  the  convention  was  to  promote  the  river  and 
lake  navigation  of  the  great  West. 

In  1860  came  the  second  national  convention  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  the  first  one  ever  held  in  the  West.  A 
great  “wigwam”  was  erected  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Randolph  and  Market  Streets.  The  attendance  of  dis- 
tinguished citizens  from  other  states  exceeded  even  that  of 
the  River  and  Harbor  Convention  in  1847.  This  was  suffi- 
cient to  establish  Chicago  as  the  convention  city  of  the 
United  States. 

The  International  Amphitheater  is  one  of  the  largest 
buildings  in  the  United  States.  It  is  located  at  tne  Union 
Stock-yards.  It  is  310  by  600  feet  in  size,  the  auditorium 
measuring  200  by  310  feet.  The  seating  capacity  is  ten 
thousand.  The  floor  space  covers  an  area  of  243,600  square 
feet.  This  is  the  building  in  which  the  annual  International 
Livestock  Exposition  and  Horse  Show  are  held.  The  total 
number  of  animals  exhibited  here  in  1907  was  7,500.  The 
total  number  of  visitors  to  these  two  exhibitions,  held  in 
conjunction,  was  about  half  a million. 


176  CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 

t 

The  Coliseum  is  another  of  Chicago’s  largest  buildings. 
It  is  built  of  stone,  170  by  378  feet  in  extent.  It  is  used 
for  amusements,  public  gatherings,  and  political  and  trade 
expositions.  It  is  located  on  Wabash  Avenue  near  Fifteenth 
Street. 

Legal  Holidays  in  Illinois.  Throughout  the  state  the 
following  are  legal  holidays : — 

January  1st.  New  Year’s  Day. 

February  12th.  Lincoln’s  Birthday. 

February  22d.  Washington’s  Birthday. 

May  30th.  Decoration  Day. 

July  4th.  Independence  Day. 

First  Monday  in  September.  Labor  Day. 

October  12th.  Columbus  Day. 

November.  Thanksgiving  Day. 

December  25th.  Christmas  Day. 

Every  day  on  which  a general  election  is  held  is  a legal 
holiday ; Sundays,  also,  are  legal  holidays. 

Some  Interesting  Facts  and  Figures 

The  following  facts  have  been  gathered  from  various 
sources.  They  present  some  of  the  most  striking  features 
of  the  city  in  a concise  form.  The  figures  have  been  made 
to  agree  with  the  latest  statistics  available.  They  are  for  the 
year  1909  when  not  otherwise  stated. 

Chicago  ranks  fourth  (possibly  third)  among  the  cities 
of  the  world,  the  others  having  been  founded  from  285  to 
1,000  years  ago,  while  Chicago,  as  a city,  is  only  72  years 
of  age. 

In  1833  (within  the  lifetime  of  several  persons  then  and 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


177 


now  living  in  Chicago)  the  600-acre  tract  bounded  by  Statd, 
Madison,  Halsted,  and  Twelfth  Streets,  was  sold  for  $6.75 
an  acre. 

More  than  60  per  cent  of  the  manufactured  product  of 
the  state  of  Illinois  is  made  in  this  city. 

Only  five  states  in  the  entire  Union  exceed  in  the  value 
of  their  manufactured  products  that  of  the  city  of  Chicago. 

The  first  manufactory  of  any  note  in  Chicago  was  erected 
in  1847,  while  in  1909  there  were  8,159  establishments  (the 
finished  product  of  which  was  valued  at  $955,036,277),  em- 
ploying 241,984  wage-earners,  who  were  paid  annually 
$136,404,686. 

The  first  wholesale  store  was  opened  in  1844,  but  in  1908 
the  wholesale  trade  of  the  city  was  conservatively  esti- 
mated at  $1,684,057,000. 

In  1837  there  were  398  dwelling-houses  in  Chicago,  but 
in  1908  there  were  229,000. 

In  1837  Chicago  had  ten  hotels,  but  in  1908  she  had 
478. 

In  1833  she  had  one  church  (a  Presbyterian),  but  in 
1909  the  number  had  increased  to  1,407. 

As  late  as  1868,  a large  sign  stood  in  the  middle  of  Fifth 
Avenue  (then  Wells  Street)  just  south  of  Madison  Street, 
bearing  this  legend:  “No  bottom  here.” 

In  1848  the  total  enrollment  of  pupils  in  the  public  schools 
was  410,  and  the  number  of  teachers  was  5;  in  1909  it 
was  296,427  and  6,296  teachers. 

There  are  more  wage-workers  in  Chicago  than  there  are 
inhabitants  in  any  of  the  following  cities:  Louisville,  Jersey 
City,  Indianapolis,  St.  Paul,  Providence,  Rochester,  Kansas 
City,  Missouri,  or  Toledo. 


178 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


There  is  no  important  seaport  between  Portland,  Maine, 
and  Portland,  Oregon,  that  has  not  one  or  more  through 
railway  passenger  trains  from  Chicago  daily. 

Chicago  produces  more  steel  rails  for  railroads  than  any 
other  city  on  earth. 

It  requires  980  suburban  trains  daily  to  carry  passengers 
from  the  surrounding  villages,  towns,  and  cities  to  and 
from  Chicago. 

Chicago  has  73  hospitals,  a larger  number  in  proportion 
to  population  than  any  large  city  in  the  country,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  it  has  the  lowest  death  rate  of  any 
of  them. 

Chicago  has  the  largest  car  manufactory,  the  largest  tele- 
phone manufactory,  and  the  largest  piano  and  organ  manu- 
factory on  the  continent. 

Chicago  has  one  of  the  largest  floral  conservatories  in  the 
United  States,  if,  indeed,  it  is  not  the  very  largest. 

The  43  public  libraries  of  Chicago  contain  1,482,931 
volumes,  not  including  pamphlets  and  maps. 

The  universities  and  colleges  within  the  corporate  limits 
of  Chicago  have  10,000  students,  making  this  city  the  edu- 
cational center  of  the  country. 

The  professional  and  business  schools  of  Chicago  have 
nearly  12,000  pupils. 

The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  of  Chicago, 
the  largest  in  the  world,  has  a membership  of  over 
13,000,  sustains  18  branches,  and  owns  property  valued  at 
$2,200,000. 

Criminal  statistics  prove  that  there  is  less  crime  in  Chi- 
cago in  proportion  to  population  than  in  Baltimore,  Boston, 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


179 


Cleveland,  Indianapolis,  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  New  York, 
Omaha,  Philadelphia,  Pittsburgh,  and  several  other  im- 
portant cities. 

Chicago  has  within  its  limits  2,193.73  miles  of  railroad 
track,  which  is  more  than  there  are  miles  of  main  track 
within  any  one  of  the  following  fourteen  states : — Maine, 
New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island, 
Connecticut,  Delaware,  Maryland,  Arizona,  Idaho,  Nevada, 
Oregon,  Utah,  or  Wyoming. 

Chicago  pays  a larger  percentage  of  its  revenues  for 
public  instruction  than  any  city  of  300,000  population,  and 
over,  in  the  United  States,  with  one  exception. 

Between  1840  and  1900  Chicago  increased  its  population 
by  3,552  per  cent,  St.  Louis  by  339  per  cent,  Philadelphia 
by  128  per  cent,  New  York  by  555  per  cent,  and  Boston 
by  497  per  cent. 

The  first  wholesale  drygoods  house  in  Chicago  was 
opened  in  1845  by  Hamilton  & Day,  while  in  1908  the 
wholesale  drygoods  trade  was  conservatively  estimated  at 
$220,000,000. 

The  first  wholesale  boot  and  shoe  house  was  opened  by 
C.  M.  Henderson  in  1851  ; in  1908  the  trade  was  valued  at 
$135,500,000. 

One  department  store  employs  regularly  7,500  people, 
and  in  the  holidays  nearly  10,000. 

Several  of  the  largest  office  buildings  have  each  more 
than  5,000  people  working  in  them. 

The  greatest  length  of  the  city  north  and  south  is  26 
miles. 

The  greatest  width  of  the  city  east  and  west  is  14.5  miles. 


180 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  number  of  marriage  licenses  in  1909  was  26,234. 

The  number  of  suicides  in  1909  was  476. 

The  geographical  center  of  Chicago  is  on  South  Wood 
Street,  about  two  hundred  feet  south  of  Thirty-fifth  Street. 

The  center  of  population  is  near  Center  Avenue  and 
Twelfth  Street. 

The  business  center  is  at  State  and  Madison  Streets. 

The  industrial  center  is  at  Van  Buren  and  Desplaines 
Streets. 

The  wheel  tax  brings  into  the  city  treasury  about 
$500,000  annually. 

Chicago  has  the  largest  packing-houses  in  the  world,  and 
handles  three-fourths  of  the  meat  products  of  the  United 
States. 

Chicago  is  the  largest  grain  market,  with  twenty  public 
elevators  and  sixty-two  private  elevators,  having  a com- 
bined capacity  of  more  than  60,000,000  bushels. 

Chicago  does  the  biggest  mail  trading  business ; has  the 
largest  trade  in  ready-made  clothing,  and  the  largest  trade 
in  men’s  furnishing  goods. 

She  is  the  largest  hardware  market  in  the  world. 

She  has  the  biggest  hardware  store,  with  fifteen  acres 
of  floor-space. 

Chicago  is  the  biggest  furniture  market,  and  sells  one 
third  more  furniture  and  household  goods  than  any  other 
city. 

She  has  the  largest  and  finest  retail  department  store  in 
the  world. 

She  has  the  finest  wholesale  drygoods  establishment  in 
the  world. 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


181 


The  show-windows  in  her  retail  section  are  unsurpassed 
for  size  or  taste  or  gorgeousness  of  display. 

Chicago  has  the  greatest  telephone  system  in  existence — 
one  company,  with  investments  of  nearly  $20,000,000,  and 
207,000  subscribers. 

In  finance  Chicago  stands  fourth  among  the  great  cities 
of  the  world,  being  led  by  London,  Paris,  and  New  York 
only,  which  fact  is  especially  remarkable  when  the  relative 
ages  of  those  cities  are  considered. 

Chicago  is  the  third  city  in  manufactures,  being  surpassed 
by  London  and  New  York  only.  The  percentage  of  in- 
crease is  far  greater  than  that  in  either  of  those  cities,  the 
capital  having  advanced  from  $170,000,000  to  $620,000,000 
in  twenty  years.  She  has  a pay-roll  amounting  to  $165,- 
000,000  a year,  and  it  bears  more  than  300,000  names. 

The  increase  of  population  in  Chicago  averages  150,000 
a year,  more  than  the  entire  population  of  Omaha  or  Den- 
ver. In  one  year  and  a quarter  the  increase  equals  the  total 
of  St.  Paul,  Indianapolis,  or  Kansas  City. 

Chicago  is  the  greatest  of  railway  centers,  whether 
measured  by  freight  or  passenger  traffic,  by  earnings,  or 
by  the  mileage  of  the  roads  which  focus  here. 

It  has  been  shown  that  no  other  city  in  the  world  is  in- 
creasing one-tenth  as  fast  as  Chicago  is  in  manufactures. 

No  other  city  in  the  United  States  exerts  so  great  an  influ- 
ence in  national  affairs. 

In  the  iron  and  steel  industry,  Chicago  does  more  than 
twice  the  business  of  all  other  cities  west  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  first  steel  rails  ever  made  in  this  country  were  rolled 
in  Chicago  in  1865,  and  to-day  she  is  the  greatest  producer 
of  steel  rails  in  the  world. 


182 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


In  Chicago  are  some  of  the  most  extensive  sash,  door, 
and  blind  factories,  and  planing-mills  in  the  world. 

More  food  and  clothing  for  the  people  of  the  United 
States  is  produced  at  or  distributed  from  Chicago  than 
from  any  other  market  on  the  continent. 

Chicago  is  the  chief  livestock  market  of  the  world,  and 
receives  and  ships  more  cattle,  calves,  sheep,  hogs,  and 
horses  than  any  other  city  on  earth. 

Chicago  has  the  greatest  car-building  shops,  agricultural 
implement  works,  vehicle  works,  stove  works,  and  boiler 
shops  in  this  country. 

Chicago  has  the  largest  system  of  underground  freight 
railway  in  the  world. 

Chicago  ranks  second  in  wealth  of  real  and  personal 
property. 

Of  the  entire  wool  product  of  the  United  States,  75  per 
cent  is  produced  in  territory  tributary  to  Chicago,  and 
about  40  per  cent  is  handled  by  railroads  centering  here. 

Chicago  ranks  second  of  the  cities  in  America  in  the 
value  of  its  manufactured  products  and  in  its  bank  clear- 
ances. 

Chicago  is  the  greatest  convention  city  in  the  country. 
It  is  estimated  that  the  regular  delegates  to  250  conven- 
tions of  various  kinds  in  Chicago  in  1908  spent  $8,000,000 
in  the  city. 

Chicago  has  80  asylums  and  homes  of  a more  or  less 
charitable  character;  50  cemeteries;  1,407  churches  and  mis- 
sions ; 40  convents  and  monasteries  ; 26  dispensaries ; 70  hos- 
pitals ; 2 eye  and  ear  infirmaries ; 3 emergency  hospitals ; 
30  libraries  and  reading-rooms ; 39  medical,  dental,  pharma- 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


183 


ceutical,  and  veterinary  colleges ; 30  kindergartens  besides 
those  connected  with  the  public  schools ; 33  consuls  and 
consulates  representing  foreign  countries ; 40  first-class 
hotels;  10  daily  newspaper  offices;  10  ocean  steamship 
offices;  15  lake-steamer  passenger  lines;  8 express  com- 
panies doing  local  and  foreign  business ; 37  colleges,  uni- 
versities, and  theological  seminaries ; 19  university  exten- 
sion centers;  36  college  alumni  associations;  141  religious 
societies  and  orders,  with  hundreds  of  local  branches  and 
councils ; 97  secret  and  benevolent  societies,  with  several 
hundred  branches  and  councils,  and  1,200  other  miscel- 
laneous societies. 

About  600  publications  emanate  from  Chicago,  including 
33  newspapers,  printed  in  ten  different  languages ; 46  re- 
ligious periodicals ; 35  scientific  journals,  and  32  literary 
papers  and  magazines. 

There  are  in  Chicago  36  church  clubs,  societies,  and  as- 
sociations ; 23  musical  clubs,  1 1 art  clubs ; 6 teachers’  as- 
sociations; 13  political  clubs;  10  law  and  order  leagues;  23 
social  settlements;  4 institutional  churches;  17  day 
nurseries,  where  mothers  who  are  employed  during  the 
day  may  leave  their  children  or  babies  to  be  cared  for ; 23 
homes  for  neglected  and  delinquent  children ; 1 18  com- 
mercial, industrial,  and  semi-commercial  associations ; 450 
public  halls;  5 theological  seminaries,  with  over  1,000 
students. 

Fifteen  million  tons  of  coal  are  received  in  Chicago  an- 
nually. 

Railways.  Chicago  is  the  terminus  of  34  railroads,  26 
of  which  are  trunk  lines.  Not  a railroad  passes  through 


184 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Chicago.  The  aggregate  mileage  of  these  roads  is  91,627 
miles,  or  more  than  one-third  of  the  entire  railroad  mileage 
of  the  United  States. 

The  railroads  use  about  13  per  cent  of  the  coal  brought 
to  Chicago  for  local  consumption. 

Two  thousand  and  seventy-two  steam  passenger  trains 
arrive  and  depart  daily. 

Four  hundred  and  four  trains  enter  and  leave  the  North- 
western station  daily,  carrying  about  80,000  passengers. 
The  new  station  of  this  road  will  accommodate  250,000  pas- 
sengers daily. 

There  are  541  mail  trains  to  be  met  daily  by  the  Post 
Office. 

The  total  amount  expended  for  elevating  tracks  up  to 
December  31,  1909,  was  $60,000,000. 

There  are  800  miles  of  streets  covered  by  electric  lines. 

The  number  of  passengers  carried  per  day  by  electric 
lines  is  879,000. 

The  number  of  passengers  carried  by  elevated  trains  daily 
is  475,000. 

The  average  number  of  cars  on  the  loop  in  twenty-four 
hours  is  7,250;  the  average  number  of  trains,  2,170. 

The  number  of  persons  brought  within  the  loop  daily 
by  surface  and  steam  cars  is  800,000. 

One  five-cent  fare  will  carry  a person  (with  transfer) 
to  any  place  within  the  city  limits,  a maximum  of  25  miles. 

The  Lumber  Business  of  Chicago  is  greater  than  that 
of  any  other  city  in  the  world.  Most  of  the  great  lumber 
yards  are  located  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  city.  Ten 
miles  of  water  frontage  are  devoted  to  these  lumber  in- 


OTHER  LEADING  FEATURES 


185 


terests,  and  the  amount  of  business  done  each  year  runs  into 
the  billions. 

The  total  receipts  of  lumber  in  1909  were  2,577,716,000 
feet,  an  increase  of  30  per  cent  over  1908. 

The  total  shipments  of  lumber  were  960,667,000  feet. 

Statistics  of  the  City  Government 
The  following  statistics  are  for  the  year  1909  unless  other- 
wise stated : — 

General 

Total  receipts  for  city  government,  1908,  $50,031,389.98. 

Total  expenditures  for  city  government,  1908,  $47,955,529.53. 

The  total  city  budget  for  1910  is  about  $60,000,000. 

Excess  of  revenue  over  expense,  $2,075,860.45. 

Number  of  licensed  saloons,  7,120. 

Number  of  pounds  of  food-stuffs  condemned  and  destroyed, 
3,617,578,  nearly  half  of  which  were  canned  goods,  and  916,732 
pounds  were  fruits  and  vegetables. 

Number  of  buildings  erected,  11,401;  their  cost,  $90,509,580,  which 
was  $27,248,080  more  than  in  1908. 

Fire  Department 
Number  of  fire  companies,  151. 

Number  of  battalions,  18. 

Number  of  steam  fire-engines,  117. 

Number  of  hook-and-ladder  trucks,  34. 

Number  of  uniformed  men  employed  in  the  Fire  Department, 
L730. 

Number  of  horses  used  by  the  Fire  Department,  700. 

Number  of  fire-hydrants  in  the  city,  22,000. 

Number  of  fire-alarms  received,  10,319. 

Police  Department 
Number  of  men  on  the  police  force,  4,287. 

Number  of  police  stations,  45. 

Number  of  police  patrol  boxes,  1,200. 

Number  of  horses  in  use  by  the  Police  Department,  298. 

Number  of  patrol  wagons,  41. 


186 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Number  of  ambulances,  io. 

Number  of  arrests  made,  67,716. 

Streets 

Longest  street  in  Chicago,  Western  Avenue,  22  miles. 

Next  longest  street  in  Chicago,  Halsted  Street,  21.33  miles. 

Number  of  miles  of  streets,  2,805,981. 

Amount  expended  for  street  cleaning  and  repairs,  $815,833.17. 
Amount  expended  for  the  collection  and  disposal  of  garbage  and 
ashes,  $1,087,179.58. 

Number  of  loads  of  garbage  removed  from  alleys,  309,122. 

Expense  of  removing  snow  from  streets,  $50,000. 

Number  of  street  electric  lamps,  Dec.  31,  1909,  12,300. 

Number  of  street  gas  lamps,  17,604. 

Cost  per  year  of  each  electric  lamp  operated  from  municipal  plant, 
in  1908,  $45.86. 

Public  Schools 

Number  of  school  buildings  owned  by  the  city,  389. 

Amount  expended  for  maintenance  of  public  schools,  $9,001,554.04. 
Number  of  pupils  enrolled,  1909-10,  336,618. 

Total  seating  capacity  of  schools,  271,348. 

Number  of  evening  schools,  42. 

Number  of  pupils  enrolled  in  evening  schools,  21,454. 

Value  of  public  school  buildings,  lots,  and  furniture,  $40,000,000. 
Number  of  teachers  in  the  public  schools,  6,226. 

Number  of  high  schools,  19. 

Number  of  pupils  enrolled  in  high  schools,  16,616. 

Number  of  pupils  enrolled  in  the  Normal  School,  672. 

Salaries  paid  teachers  in  all  the  public  schools,  $6,538,239.91. 
Water  Supply 

Number  of  mile's  of  water-mains  and  pipes,  2,200. 

Total  number  of  gallons  pumped  in  a day,  500,000,000. 

Gross  revenue  from  water  service,  $5,205,707.88. 

Number  of  bridges  controlled  by  the  city,  69;  by  the  railroads,  22. 
Number  of  bridges  over  the  Chicago  River  and  its  branches,  64. 
Number  of  vessels  arriving,  6,011. 

Total  tonnage  of  vessels  arriving,  7,672,035 ; of  clearances,  7,688,562. 
There  are  45  miles  of  private  docks  along  the  Chicago  River. 
Number  of  miles  of  lake  tunnels,  22.4. 

Number  of  miles  of  land  tunnels,  24.5. 


THE  UNITED  STATES  GOVERNMENT 
IN  CHICAGO 


The  Federal  Building.  The  present  Federal  Building 
was  erected  at  a cost  of  more  than  $5,000,000.  Its  prede- 
cessor on  the  same  block  was  erected  in  1873  at  a cost 
of  about  $4,000,000,  and  was  removed  for  the  new  build- 
ing in  1896.  The  new  building  is  the  finest  of  its  kind  in 
the  United  States.  It  occupies  a whole  block  in  the  heart  of 
the  business  section  of  the  city,  bounded  by  Adams,  Dear- 
born, Jackson,  and  Clark  Streets,  with  a spacious  entrance 
on  each  street.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  on  “Chicago 
Day,”  October  9,  1899.  The  building  was  first  occupied 
in  1905.  The  predominant  style  of  its  architecture  is  Co- 
rinthian. 

It  differs  from  all  other  buildings  of  its  kind  in  the 
country,  being  an  entirely  new  departure  from  the  con- 
ventional massive  architecture  which  distinguishes  most 
buildings  constructed  by  the  government.  Four  giant  sky- 
lights, besides  many  large  windows,  afford  light  in 
abundance,  without  the  sacrifice  of  beauty  or  utility.  The 
elevators  and  stairways  are  in  the  center  of  the  building. 

In  its  general  scheme  it  is  a two-story  structure,  with 
a cross  portion  rising  six  stories  higher,  having  an  octagonal 
dome  at  the  sectional  point  of  the  cross.  In  the  center  of 
each  wing  is  a broad  corridor  with  rooms  on  each  side. 

The  basement,  outside  of  such  parts  as  are  used  by  the 


187 


1S8 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


mechanical  plants,  is  used  by  the  Postoffice,  also  the  first, 
second,  and  third  floors,  except  the  rooms  occupied  by  the 
Sub-Treasury  on  the  first  floor. 

In  the  Federal  Building,  unless  otherwise  specified,  the 
following  United  States  Government  offices  and  officials 
are  located : — 

Department  of  Justice. 

United  States  Circuit  Court. 

United  States  District  Court. 

United  States  Circuit  Court  of  Appeals,  Seventh  Dis- 
trict— Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Wisconsin. 

United  States  District  Attorney. 

United  States  Marshal. 

Special  Agent. 

United  States  Postoffice. 

Raliway  Mail  Service. 

Inspectors’  Department. 

Department  of  Agriculture. 

Dairy  Inspection,  22  Fifth  Avenue. 

Bureau  of  Standardization  of  Grain,  Board  of  Trade  Bldg. 
Bureau  of  Plant  Industry,  160  Jackson  Boulevard. 
Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  Stock-Yards. 

Forestry  Service,  Fisher  Building. 

Weather  Bureau. 

Food  and  Drug  Laboratory,  315  Dearborn  Street. 
Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor. 

Bureau  of  Labor. 

Bureau  of  Census,  160  Adams  Street. 


THE  U.  S.  GOVERNMENT  IN  CHICAGO 


189 


Bureau  of  Immigration,  Commercial  National  Bank  Bldg. 
Chinese  Bureau,  Commercial  National  Bank  Bldg. 
Inspectors  of  Steam  Vessels. 

Lighthouse  Department. 

Department  of  the  Interior. 

Civil  Service  Examiners,  Seventh  District. 

Internal  Revenue. 

Geological  Survey. 

Inspector  of  Public  Buildings. 

Reclamation  Service. 

Indian  Warehouse,  682  South  Canal  Street. 

Pension  Agency. 

Navy  Department. 

Hydrographic  Office. 

Recruiting  Station,  100  Lake  Street;  6158  South  Halsted 
Street. 

Treasury  Department. 

Assistant  Treasurer,  United  States  Sub-Treasury. 

Custom  House. 

Internal  Revenue. 

Life-Saving  Service,  Twelfth  District. 

Marine  Hospital,  Clarendon  and  Graceland  Avenues. 
Secret  Service. 

Appraiser’s  Office,  Harrison  and  Sherman  Streets. 

Bank  Examiner. 

War  Department. 

Army  Headquarters,  Department  of  the  Lakes. 
Purchasing  Commissary,  1 1 Lake  Street. 


190 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Corps  of  Engineers,  Northwest  Division. 

River  and  Harbor  Work. 

Recruiting  Office,  601  West  Madison  Street. 

Two  United  States  Masters  in  Chancery  are  located  in 
the  Federal  Building,  and  one  in  the  Monadnock  Building. 

Eight  United  States  Commissioners  for  Chicago  are 
variously  located  in  the  city,  also  one  outside  of  the  city. 

The  Government  maintains  a small  body  of  troops  at 
Fort  Sheridan,  twenty-six  miles  north  of  Chicago,  compris- 
ing infantry,  artillery,  and  cavalry. 

Naval  Training-Station.  Through  the  personal  efforts 
of  members  of  the  Chicago  Commercial  Club,  and  their 
purchase  and  donation  of  a site  near  Lake  Bluff,  thirty 
miles  north  of  Chicago,  the  national  government  established 
a Naval  Training-School  at  that  point  and  has  spent  about 
four  million  dollars  in  buildings  and  equipment.  The  school 
will  be  opened  in  September,  1910,  and  will  be  prepared  to 
give  instruction  to  a thousand  students. 

The  Postoffice  may  be  compared  to  the  heart  of  a 
living  organism — the  center  into  which  flow  the  streams  of 
thought  and  action  of  the  city’s  busy  life  from  every  portion 
of  its  wide  area,  and  from  which  the  same  vital  force  again 
flows  out  and  permeates  the  most  distant  parts  of  the 
civilized  world.  The  business  of  the  Chicago  Postoffice  is 
so  essentially  a part  of  the  active  life  of  the  city  that  it  is 
interesting  to  note  the  extent  of  some  of  its  activities. 

The  following  are  a few  of  the  many  facts  which  show  the 
magnitude  and  the  importance  of  the  United  States  Post- 
office  : — 

Number  of  pieces  of  mail  handled  in  the  year  1909,  1,532,899,852; 

total  weight,  149,969,160  pounds. 


THE  U.  S.  GOVERNMENT  IN  CHICAGO 


191 


Amount  disbursed  in  money-orders,  $236,362,603.57,  an  increase  of 
$41,253,419.28. 

Number  of  pieces  sent  to  the  Dead  Letter  Office  in  Washington 
2,214,106. 

Number  of  transactions  in  the  money-order  department  at  the 
mam  office,  13,960,572. 

Total  number  of  registered  articles  handled,  6,787,648. 

Total  receipts  of  Postoffice,  $16,699,783.99. 

Total  expenses  of  Postoffice,  $5,682,998.11. 

Net  profit  of  Chicago  Postoffice,  $11,016,785.88. 

Number  of  clerks  employed,  3,229. 

Number  of  carriers  and  collectors,  1,887. 

Total  number  of  employees,  about  6,000. 

In  many  important  respects  the  business  done  by  the 
Chicago  Postoffice  surpasses  that  done  by  the  Postoffice  of 
New  York.  The  carriers  cover  190  square  miles  of  terri- 
tory, a greater  area  than  is  covered  by  the  carriers  of  any 
other  city  in  this  country.  Those  of  New  York  and  Brook- 
lyn cover  only  132  square  miles. 

Postoffice  cars  are  run  on  the  main  lines  of  street  rail- 
way, making  a trip  every  ninety  minutes  from  9 a.  m.  till 
6 p.  m.  These  cars  connect  with  all  lines  in  the  city. 
Letters  may  be  posted  in  them  and  on  the  postal  cars  of 
steam  railways  up  to  the  moment  of  leaving 

There  are  48  branch  offices  with  carriers,  4 stations  with- 
out carriers  or  collectors,  and  247  stations  with  a clerk  in 
charge  of  each,  like  those  in  drug  stores. 

The  increase  in  receipts  of  the  Chicago  Post  Office  for 
the  calendar  year  1909  was  more  than  a million  and  a half 
dollars. 

Lighthouses.  There  are  six  lighthouses  within  the 
Chicago  harbor.  Owing  to  the  curvature  of  the  earth's 
surface,  the  distance  at  which  a light  may  be  seen  by  a 
vessel  on  the  lake  depends  on  the  height  of  the  light  and  of 


192  CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 

the  eye  of  the  observer  above  the  level  of  the  lake.  An  ob- 
ject fifteen  feet  above  lake  level  can  be  seen  at  a distance  of 
5.12  statute  miles;  one  a hundred  feet  above  lake  level 
can  be  seen  13.23  statute  miles;  one. two  hundred  feet  high, 
18.71  statute  miles;  one  five  hundred  feet  high,  29.58 
statute  miles;  one  a thousand  feet  high,  41.83  statute  miles. 

That  light  in  Chicago  harbor  which  stands  in  thirty  feet 
of  water  inside  of  and  near  the  southeastern  end  of  the 
outer  breakwater  is  sixty-seven  and  a half  feet  above  lake 
level ; it  is  therefore  visible  from  the  surface  of  the  lake  a 
distance  of  10.78  miles.  But  the  eye  of  an  observer  on  a 
vessel  is  supposed  to  be  fifteen  feet  above  lake  level,  which 
would  make  the  distance  at  which  the  above  light  would 
be  seen  5.12  plus  10.78,  or  16  statute  miles,  under  ordinary 
atmospheric  conditions. 

This  light  flashes  alternately  red  and  white,  the  intervals 
between  flashes  being  ten  seconds. 

The  fog  signal  at  this  station  is  a ten-inch  steam  whistle, 
biswing  a blast  five  seconds  and  then  is  silent  for  twenty-five 
seconds. 

The  light  at  Grosse  Point,  Evanston,  is  a fixed  white 
light,  varied  by  a red  flash  every  three  minutes.  It  is  a 
hundred  nineteen  and  a half  feet  high  and  can  be  seen  5.12 
plus  14.38,  or  19.5  statute  miles.  The  fog  signal  is  a steam 
whistle,  blowing  a blast  five  seconds,  but  its  silent  intervals 
alternate  between  twenty  and  forty  seconds. 

THE  WEATHER  BUREAU 

The  Weather  Bureau  notes  and  records  the  tempera- 
ture, barometer,  wind,  and  climatic  conditions  of  all  kinds, 
as  observed  in  Chicago  and  reported  by  telegraph  from  all 


THE  U.  S.  GOVERNMENT  IN  CHICAGO 


193 


parts  of  the  country.  From  these  records  and  reports  the 
bureau  is  able  to  make  a pretty  accurate  prediction  as  to 
what  the  weather  will  be  during  the  next  twenty-four  hours. 

The  Weather  Bureau  office  is  in  the  dome  of  the  Federal 
Building,  two  hundred  and  twenty  feet  above  the  ground. 
It  is  probably  the  best  equipped  of  all  the  local  weather 
bureau  offices  in  the  world.  The  room  where  the  weather 
forecasts  are  made  is  connected  with  the  operating  room 
of  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company  by  pneumatic 
tube  service,  by  which  messages  are  rapidly  transmitted  to 
and  from  the  weather  office.  Through  this  tube  are  sent 
all  the  messages  for  the  newspapers  and  the  Board  of 
Trade.  A mail  chute  fourteen  inches  in  diameter  also 
runs  from  this  room  to  the  mailing-room  of  the  Postoffice 
on  the  second  floor  of  the  Federal  Building,  through  which 
the  weather  maps,  bulletins,  forecast  cards,  etc.,  are  hurried 
to  the  mails  each  day. 

The  Signal  Service.  The  signal  flags  used  to  indicate 
the  probable  weather  just  ahead  are  as  follows: — 


No.  1.  No.  2.  No.  3.  No.  4.  No.  5. 


Fair  Weather  Rain  or  Snow  Local  Rain  Temperature  Cold  Wave 

or  Snow 

INTERPRETATION  OF  SIGNALS 

No.  i,  alone,  indicates  fair  weather,  stationary  temperature. 

No.  2,  alone,  indicates  rain  or  snow,  stationary  temperature. 

No.  3,  alone,  indicates  local  rain  or  snow,  stationary  temperature. 

No.  i,  with  No.  4 above  it,  indicates  fair  weather,  warmer. 

No.  I,  with  No.  4 below  it,  indicates  fair  weather,  colder. 


194 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


No.  2,  with  No.  4 above  it,  indicates  rain  or  snow,  warmer. 

No.  2,  with  No.  4 below  it,  indicates  rain  or  snow,  colder. 

No.  3,  with  No.  4 above  it,  indicates  local  rain  or  snow,  warmer. 

No.  3,  with  No.  4 below  it,  indicates  local  rain  or  snow,  colder. 

Storm  Signal.  A red  flag  with  a black  center  indicates 
that  a storm  of  marked  violence  is  expected.  The  pen- 
nants displayed  with  the  flags  indicate  the  direction  of  the 
wind;  red,  easterly  (from  northeast  to  south);  white, 
westerly  (from  southwest  to  north).  If  the  pennant  is 
above  the  flag,  it  indicates  that  the  wind  is  expected  to  blow 
from  the  northerly  quadrants,  if  below,  from  the  southerly 
quadrants. 

By  night,  a red  light  indicates  easterly  winds,  and  a white 
light  above  a red  light,  westerly  winds. 

Information  Signal.  A red  or  white  pennant  displayed 
alone,  at  stations  on  the  Great  Lakes,  indicates  that  windk 
are  expected  which  may  prove  dangerous  to  tows  and 
smaller  classes  of  vessels  ; the  red  pennant  indicating  easterly 
and  the  white  pennant  westerly  winds. 

Hurricane  Signal.  Two  red  flags  with  black  centers, 
displayed  one  above  the  other,  indicate  the  expected  ap- 
proach of  tropical  hurricanes,  and  also  of  those  extremely 
severe  and  dangerous  storms  which  occasionally  move  across 
the  lakes  and  northern  Atlantic  coast. 

No  night  information  or  hurricane  signals  are  displayed. 

Forecasts.  In  Chicago,  daily  forecasts  of  the  weather 
are  made  at  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning.  These  fore- 
casts are  based  upon  simultaneous  observations  taken  daily 
at  numerous  regular  observing-stations  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley  and  the  Northwest,  and  immediately  telegraphed  to 


THE  U.  S.  GOVERNMENT  IN  CHICAGO 


195 


Chicago.  Within  two  hours  after  the  morning  observa- 
tions have  been  taken,  the  forecasts  are  telegraphed  from 
Chicago  to  distributing  points,  whence  they  are  further 
disseminated  by  telegraph,  telephone,  and  mail. 

A weather  map,  on  which  the  salient  features  of  current 
weather  conditions  throughout  the  country  are  graphically 
represented,  is  mailed  immediately  after  the  morning  fore- 
cast is  telegraphed. 

The  warnings  given  by  the  Weather  Bureau  of  sudden 
changes  in  temperature,  the  approach  of  a cold  wave,  etc., 
have  proved  of  great  value  to  individuals,  railroad  com- 
panies, shippers,  etc.  The  warnings  issued  in  January, 
1896,  foretelling  a cold  wave  of  exceptional  severity,  re- 
sulted in  the  saving  of  over  $3, 500, OCX)  in  the  protection  of 
property  from  injury  or  destruction.  It  is  estimated  that 
more  than  $15,000,000  worth  of  property  was  saved  from 
destruction  by  the  flood  of  1903,  through  the  warnings 
given  by  the  Weather  Bureau. 

Life-saving  Stations.  There  are  sixty-one  life-saving 
stations  on  the  coasts  of  the  Great  Lakes,  three  of  which 
are  in  the  Chicago  harbor  and  one  at  Evanston. 

One  keeper  is  on  duty  at  these  stations  during  the  en- 
tire year,  and  seven  or  eight  surfmen  at  each  from  April 
1st  to  November  30th,  or  during  the  season  of  navigation. 

Life-saving  stations  are  maintained  by  the  United  States 
government,  purely  for  the  protection  of  life  and  property 
on  the  coasts  of  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  oceans.  The  sta- 
tions are  equipped  with  all  needed  appliances,  including  ap- 
paratus, books,  charts,  draft-horses  in  many  cases,  tele- 
phones, furniture,  boats,  wreck-guns,  restoratives,  etc. 


196 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


The  crews  are  paid  salaries  by  the  government,  and  are 
strictly  forbidden  to  solicit  or  receive  rewards  for  services 
rendered  by  any  person  or  vessel. 

Shipwrecked  sailors  are  provided  with  food  and  lodgings 
as  long  as  they  are  necessarily  detained. 

How  the  Service  is  Performed  The  station  crews 
patrol  the  beach  from  two  to  four  miles  each  side  of  their 
station  four  times  between  sunset  and  sunrise,  and  if  the 
weather  is  foggy,  the  patrol  is  continued  throughout  the 
whole  day. 

Each  patrolman  carries  Coston  signals,  and  if  he  discovers 
a vessel  in  danger,  he  ignites  one  of  them,  which  emits  a 
brilliant  red  flame  of  about  two  minutes’  duration,  and  this 
is  a warning  to  the  vessel,  or  notice  that  assistance  is  at 
hand. 

If  a vessel  is  in  distress,  it  sends  up  rockets  or  burns 
flare-lights,  or,  if  the  weather  is  foggy,  fires  guns,  to  at- 
tract attention,  provided  it  has  received  no  signal  from  the 
station. 

Usually,  a large  lifeboat  is  launched  and  sent  imme- 
diately to  the  vessel,  or  a lighter  surfboat  may  be  hauled 
overland  to  a point  opposite  the  wreck,  and  launched  there. 

If  it  is  inexpedient  to  use  a boat,  the  wreck-gun  and 
beach  apparatus  are  used.  A shot  with  a small  line  at- 
tached is  fired  across  the  vessel,  and  this  line  is  seized  as 
soon  as  possible  by  those  on  board  and  hauled  in  until  a 
tail-block  is  in  hand,  with  a whip  or  endless  line  through 
it.  This  tail-block  has  a tally-board  attached  to  it,  with 
the  following  directions,  in  English  on  one  side  and  French 
on  the  other: 


THE  U.  S.  GOVERNMENT  IN  CHICAGO 


197 


Make  the  tail  of  the  block  fast  to  the  lower  mast,  well  up.  If  the 
masts  are  gone,  then  to  the  best  place  you  can  find.  Cast  off  shot- 
line, see  that  the  rope  in  the  block  runs  free,  and  show  signal  to 
the  shore. 

As  soon  as  their  signal  is  seen,  a three-inch  hawser  is 
fastened  to  the  whip-line  and  hauled  to  the  ship  by  the  life- 
saving crew.  A tally-board  is  attached  to  the  hawser,  bear- 
ing the  following  directions,  in  English  on  one  side  and 
French  on  the  other: 

Make  this  hawser  fast  about  two  feet  above  the  tail-block;  see 
all  clear,  and  that  the  rope  in  the  block  runs  free,  and  show  signal 
to  the  shore. 

The  life-saving  crew  then  hauls  the  hawser  taut,  and 
by  means  of  the  whip-line  sends  to  the  ship  what  is  called 
a breeches-buoy,  suspended  from  a traveler-block,  or  a life 
car  from  rings,  running  on  the  hawser.  Only  one  person, 
or  at  most  two,  can  be  hauled  ashore  by  means  of  the 
breeches  buoy,  but  from  four  to  six  by  the  life  car.  The 
operation  is  repeated  till  all  are  landed. 

The  rules  require  that  women  and  children  shall  be  landed 
first,  and  if  the  lifeboat  is  sent,  no  goods  or  baggage  is 
permitted  in  the  boat  till  all  persons  are  landed. 

Signals  are  given  from  the  ship  in  the  daytime  by  one 
man  separating  himself  from  the  rest  and  swinging  his 
hat  or  handkerchief,  or  his  hand  alone;  if  at  night,  by 
showing  a light  and  concealing  it  once  or  twice.  Like 
signals  are  made  from  the  shore. 


■ 


COOK  COUNTY 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


The  General  Government  of  the  County  is  under  the 
control  of  a Board  of  Commissioners,  fifteen  in  number, 
elected  by  the  people  every  two  years,  ten  from  the  city  of 
Chicago  and  five  from  outside  the  city. 

List  of  County  Officers.  The  complete  list  of  county 
officers  is  as  follows,  all  being  located  in  the  Courthouse 
unless  otherwise  stated : — 

Sheriff. 

County  Treasurer. 

Recorder  of  Deeds. 

Registrar  of  Titles. 

County  Clerk. 

County  Comptroller. 

Clerk  of  Board  of  Commissioners. 

State’s  Attorney.  Criminal  Court-  Building,  corner  of 
Michigan  and  Dearborn  Streets. 

Coroner. 

County  Surveyor. 

County  Superintendent  of  Schools. 

Judge  of  Probate  Court. 

Judge  of  County  Court. 

Clerk  of  County  Court. 

Twelve  Judges  'of  the  Superior  Court. 

Fourteen  Judges  of  the  Circuit  Court. 

Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court. 


201 


202 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Clerk  of  the  Criminal  Court*  Criminal  Court  Building, 
corner  of  Michigan  and  Dearborn  Streets. 

Clerk  of  the  Appellate  Court. f Room  706  Ashland  Block. 
Board  of  Review. 

Board  of  Assessors. 

Board  of  County  Commissioners. 

County  Attorney. 

Civil  Service  Commissioners. 

Jury  Commissioners. 

Superintendent  of  Public  Service. 

Warden  Cook  County  Hospital.  Corner  Harrison  and 
Wood  Streets. 

General  Superintendent  County  Poor  House  and  Insane 
Asylum.  Dunning. 

County  Physician.  County  Detention  Hospital,  corner 
Polk  and  Wood  Streets. 

County  Agent.  142  South  Peoria  Street. 

The  Sheriff,  County  Clerk,  County  Treasurer,  State’s  At- 
torney, Coroner,  Recorder  of  Deeds,  and  Surveyor  are 
elected  by  the  people ; also  five  Assessors  and  a Board  of 
Review  of  three  members. 

One  County  Court  Judge,  one  Probate  Court  Judge,  four- 
teen Circuit  Court  judges,  and  twelve  Superior  Court 
judges  are  also  elected  by  popular  vote. 

The  Board  of  County  Commissioners  does  its  work 
through  the  following  five  committees: — 

1 The  Committee  on  Buildings. 

2 The  Committee  on  Institutions  at  Dunning. 

*This  Court  is  presided  over  by  the  judges  of  the  Circuit  and  Su 
perior  courts. 

tThis  Court  is  presided  over  by  the  judges  of  the  Circuit  and  Su- 
perior courts  as  appointed  by  the  Supreme  Court. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


203 


3 The  Committee  on  County  Hospital. 

4 The  Committee  on  Out-door  Relief. 

5 The  Committee  on  Juvenile  Court  and  Detention  Home. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  city  of  Chicago  contains  more 

than  fifteen  times  as  many  people  as  all  the  towns  of  the 
county  outside  of  Chicago,  the  city  is  given  ten  of  the  fifteen 
County  Commissioners. 

The  Commissioners  meet  weekly  to  direct  the  govern- 
ment of  the  county  and  its  public  institutions.  The  board 
has  the  right  to  levy  taxes  not  exceeding  seventy-five  cents 
on  the  hundred  dollars  for  county  purposes. 

The  president  of  this  board  is  chosen  by  the  people  at 
the  Congressional  elections.  He  has  the  power  of  vetoing 
appropriations,  and  his  veto  rules,  unless  overcome  by  the 
votes  of  twelve  members  of  the  board.  He  appoints  the 
County  Attorney,  the  Superintendent  of  Public  Service, 
the  heads  of  all  departments,  and  three  County  Civil  Service 
Commissioners  to  direct  the  examinations  for  other  county 
offices. 

Department  of  Poor  Relief.  The  County  Agent  has 
charge  of  this  department.  Few  people  appreciate  the  great 
extent  of  the  service  rendered  by  it.  In  the  year  ending 
November  30,  1908,  12,461  families,  including  53,251  in- 
dividuals, were  assisted  by  it  to  obtain  the  necessities  of  life. 

There  are  sixteen  doctors  on  the  county  staff,  all  under 
civil  service.  One  of  these  is  assigned  to  the  County  Jail, 
and  one  to  the  Commissioners’  office.  The  latter  is  at  his 
post  daily  from  12  m.  till  2:15  P.  M.,  except  Sundays,  to 
give  free  dispensary  service.  The  other  doctors  are  as- 


204: 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


signed  to  six  districts  into  which  the  whole  city  is  divided 
for  this  purpose. 

In  order  to  receive  aid  from  the  County  Agent,  the  appli- 
cant must  have  resided  in  Cook  County  at  least  six  months. 

The  department  also  assists  in  the  proper  disposition  of 
dependent  children,  the  feeble-minded,  the  insane,  the  blind, 
and  deaf  mutes.  It  also  delivers  rations  and  fuel  to  needy 
war  veterans  and  their  families. 

The  Institutions  at  Dunning.  Dunning  is  about  ten 
miles  northwest  of  the  Courthouse,  just  outside  the  city 
limits.  The  various  institutions  there  are  in  charge  of  a 
General  Superintendent.  They  comprise  the  Infirmary, 
formerly  called  the  Poor  House ; the  Hospital  for  Consump- 
tives, the  Hospital  for  the  Insane,  and  the  Farm.  The  total 
number  of  persons  under  the  charge  of  the  General  Super- 
intendent is  more  than  3,200. 

The  amount  of  money  appropriated  by  the  County  Board 
for  charitable  purposes  in  1910  is  $1,758,283.69.  The  total 
net  appropriation  for  all  purposes  is  $7,086,337.05. 

In  the  Insane  Department  the  patients  are  treated  with 
consideration,  and  an  attempt  is  made  to  restore  them  to 
normal  conditions  by  the  best  scientific  methods.  Chronic 
cases  are  taught  elementary  construction  work  with  good 
results.  Various  entertainments  are  given  the  inmates. 

The  average  number  of  insane  persons  in  this  depart- 
ment is  about  2,000. 

In  the  Poor  Department  certain  industries  are  carried  on 
not  only  for  the  benefit  of  the  institution,  but  also  for  the 
benefit  of  the  inmates  themselves.  Much  of  the  repair  work 


GOVERNMENT  OP  COOK  COUNTY 


205 


of  the  institution  is  done  in  this  department.  The  average 
number  of  inmates  is  about  1,400. 

In  the  Consumptive  Hospital  about  one-third  of  the  con- 
sumptives of  the  county  are  cared  for.  The  average  num- 
ber of  patients  is  about  350. 

A large  Farm  in  connection  with  the  institution  is  culti- 
vated partly  by  the  patients. 

The  Cook  County  Hospital  gives  temporary  medical 
and  surgical  care  to  the  sick  and  injured  poor. 

The  attending  staff  comprises  seventy-eight  skilled  prac- 
titioners, who  serve  subject  to  call  day  and  night,  without 
pay.  The  average  number  of  patients  in  the  hospital  is 
about  2,500. 

The  County  Physician  resides  at  the  Detention  Hos- 
pital, on  the  corner  of  Polk  and  Wood  Streets.  Besides  at- 
tending patients  in  that  institution  he  gives  service  also 
to  the  prisoners  confined  in  the  County  Jail. 

The  house  staff  (formed  of  internes)  is  made  up  of  young 
doctors  recently  graduated  from  recognized  licensed  medi- 
cal colleges  in  Cook  County.  There  are  48  internes,  se- 
lected by  an  examination,  who  serve  for  six  months,  or 
eighteen  months  for  the  full  period,  without  compensation, 
except  that  they  are  given  their  board  and  lodging  at  the 
hospital. 

There  are  157  nurses  at  the  hospital,  supplied  by  contract 
from  the  Illinois  Training-school  for  Nurses,  which  is  main- 
tained in  connection  with  the  hospital. 

The  Detention  Plospital  is  connected  with  the  County 
Hospital.  Here  persons  thought  to  be  insane  are  kept  till 
it  is  decided  whether  they  shall  be  set  free  or  sent  to  an 
asylum. 


206 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


All  patients  are  admitted  free,  and  no  charge  is  made 
for  physicians  or  medicines. 

The  conditions  of  admission  are  that  the  patient  shall 
be  without  money,  sick,  and  in  need  of  hospital  care.  No 
one  is  admitted  who  is  sick  from  smallpox,  consumption, 
alcoholism,  or  any  chronic  or  incurable  disease. 

The  capacity  of  the  hospital  at  the  present  time  is  1,270 
beds. 

It  is  located  in  Chicago  between  Wood,  Lincoln,  Polk, 
and  Harrison  Streets.  The  Morgue  is  located  on  the  same 
grounds,  also  the  Detention  Hospital  for  Insane,  the 
Children’s  Hospital,  and  the  Tuberculosis  Hospital, 
which  was  included  in  a recent  vote  by  the  citizens  of  the 
county  to  raise  $2,000,000  for  a new  County  Infirmary.  The 
new  infirmary  is  located  on  a beautiful  farm  of  255  acres 
three  miles  southwest  of  Blue  Island,  and  nineteen  miles 
from  the  Courthouse.  It  is  called  Oak  Forest.  There  will 
be  about  forty  buildings  when  all  are  completed,  all  con- 
nected by  an  inclosed  corridor  to  protect  the  inmates  from 
inclement  weather,  also  by  outdoor  walks.  The  contract 
price  for  the  buildings  is  $1,257,018.  This  will  be  the 
highest  ideal  of  a home  for  the  poor. 

The  Cook  County  Hospital  for  Children  has  20  wards 
and  accommodates  150  beds.  Being  located  on  the  County 
Hospital  grounds,  it  has  78  doctors  on  call,  and  12  nurses. 

The  Juvenile  Detention  Home  is  located  in  the  Juve- 
nile Court  Building  at  767  Ewing  Street. 

The  children,  while  in  the  home,  are  taught  to  read, 
write,  and  reckon,  and  also  some  manual-training  work, 
such  as  sewing,  weaving,  and  clay-modeling,  and  the  com- 


GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


207 


mon  work  of  housekeeping.  During  the  last  fiscal  year  the 
home  has  cost  $34,667.51,  one  half  of  which  was  paid  by 
the  city  of  Chicago.  During  that  year  the  home  received 
2,641  children. 

The  Sheriff  is  the  most  important  of  the  executive  offi- 
cers of  the  county.  He  is  elected  for  a term  of  four  years. 
It  is  his  duty  to  execute  the  orders  of  the  County  Courts, 
to  prevent  the  commission  of  crime,  and  maintain  peace 
and  good  order  within  the  county.  He  may  arrest  offenders 
on  sight.  He  is  the  keeper  of  the  Jail,  and  has  the  custody 
of  prisoners. 

The  County  Treasurer  holds  and  pays  out  the  funds  of 
the  county,  and  acts  as  County  Collector. 

The  Recorder  of  Deeds  keeps  a copy  in  full  of  deeds, 
mortgages,  and  various  legal  papers  which  the  law  requires 
shall  be  recorded  in  order  to  make  them  valid. 

The  Registrar  of  Titles  is  an  attorney  employed  by  the 
Recorder.  It  is  his  duty  to  examine  titles  to  real  estate 
when  conveyed  under  the  Torrens  system. 

The  County  Clerk  acts  in  four  different  official  capaci- 
ties, namely,  as  County  Clerk,  as  Clerk  of  the  County  Court, 
as  County  Comptroller,  and  as  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  County 
Commissioners.  He  maintains  three  separate  offices. 

As  County  Comptroller  he  has  control  of  the  financial 
affairs  of  the  county,  having  custody  of  all  deeds,  mort- 
gages, contracts,  bonds,  notes,  etc.,  belonging  to  the  county. 
He  is  bookkeeper  and  paymaster  for  the  county,  reporting 
annually  the  expenses  of  all  departments  of  the  county  or- 
ganization, and  submitting  estimates  for  the  coming  year. 

As  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  he  attends  all 


208 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


meetings  of  the  board,  and  prepares  and  publishes  their 
proceedings. 

It  is  the  County  Clerk  who  extends  all  general  taxes  and 
keeps  the  records  of  all  property  within  the  county  sold 
for  non-payment  of  taxes.  In  extending  the  taxes  on  the 
tax  warrants,  he  annually  describes  in  writing  about  one 
million  pieces  of  property  and  extends  an  average  of  eleven 
valuations  and  tax  amounts  against  each  piece  of  property. 
There  are  over  three  hundred  separate  taxing  bodies  in  Cook 
County,  each  requiring  a different  tax  to  be  extended  in  its 
special  territory. 

These  tax  warrants  are  compiled  by  the  towns,  and  as  the 
taxes  on  personal  property  are  due  on  January  2d  of  each 
year,  the  warrants,  bound  in  large  books,  are  delivered  to 
the  various  town  collectors  on  that  date. 

Each  town  collector  endeavors  to  collect  all  taxes  in  his 
hands  before  the  tenth  day  of  March,  as  each  town  col- 
lector must  return  his  tax  books  to  the  County  Collector 
on  that  day,  showing  what  taxes  have  been  paid  and  what 
are  delinquent.  Delinquent  taxes  may  be  paid  to  the  County 
Collector  between  March  10th  and  May  1st. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  County  Clerk  also  to  direct  election 
matters,  both  state  and  county,  outside  the  city  of  Chicago 
and  the  town  of  Cicero.  This  territory  consists  of  thirty 
townships  containing  144  election  districts.  He  does  the 
same  work  in  election  matters  for  those  districts  that  the 
Election  Commissioners  do  for  the  city  of  Chicago,  such 
as  printing  and  distributing  ballots,  poll  books  and  in- 
structions, receiving  returns  of  elections,  etc. 

The  County  Clerk  also  issues  hunting  and  fishing  licenses, 


GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


209 


about  4,500  annually;  certificates  of  magistracy,  about  25,- 
000  annually ; tax  deeds  and  saloon  licenses ; certificates  of 
election  to  county  officers,  justices  of  the  peace,  constables, 
etc. ; records  miscellaneous  papers,  and  about  30,000  birth 
records  and  40,000  death  reports  annually ; and  makes  and 
keeps  the  public  official  maps  of  the  county. 

Penalty  for  Non-Payment  of  Real  Estate  Taxes.  If  the 
taxes  are  not  paid  by  May  1st,  a penalty  of  one  per  cent  a 
month  is  imposed,  besides  “costs”  of  six  to  eighteen  cents 
per  lot.  If  not  paid  by  the  second  Monday  in  July,  the 
County  Treasurer  makes  application  for  judgment,  ancl  if 
the  taxes  still  remain  unpaid  by  the  first  Monday  in  August, 
the  property  is  offered  for  sale  at  the  price  of  the  tax  that 
is  due. 

How  Property  Sold  for  Taxes  May  be  Redeemed. 
Property  on  which  the  taxes  are  not  paid  is  sold  to  the 
lowest  bidder,  and  may  be  redeemed  within  two  years  by 
paying  the  County  Clerk  the  amount  of  the  tax  and  a 
penalty  not  exceeding  25  per  cent  additional  if  within  six 
months,  not  exceeding  50  per  cent  additional  if  between 
six  and  twelve  months,  not  exceeding  75  per  cent  additional 
if  between  twelve  and  eighteen  months,  not  exceeding  100 
per  cent  additional  if  between  eighteen  months  and  two 
years,  also  any  other  taxes  that  have  accrued  in  the  mean- 
time, with  a penalty  of  7 per  cent  added  from  the  time  the 
taxes  were  due,  if  accrued  taxes  have  been  paid  by  the 
holder  of  the  certificate  of  sale. 

If  the  owner  does  not  pay  the  taxes  and  costs  as  above 
within  two  years,  the  purchaser  is  given  a tax  title  to  the 
property,  and  may  then  settle  with  the  owner  as  he  pleases. 


210 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


If  no  bids  are  received  for  the  taxes,  the  property  is 
forfeited  to  the  state.  A penalty  of  25  per  cent  is  then 
added,  and  the  property  may  be  redeemed  at  any  time  by 
paying  the  delinquent  taxes  and  penalties. 

Many  people  forget  or  are  unable  to  pay  their  taxes 
when  they  become  due,  and  from  2,500  to  3,000  pieces  of 
property  are  redeemed  each  month.  In  1908  the  tax  sales 
numbered  47,880. 

Marriage  Licenses.  Before  a marriage  ceremony  can  be 
legally  performed,  a license  must  be  obtained  from  the 
County  Clerk.  The  law  requires  that  the  man  shall  be  at 
least  eighteen  years  old,  and  the  woman  sixteen  years,  and 
if  the  man  is  between  eighteen  and  twenty-one,  and  the 
woman  between  sixteen  and  eighteen  years  of  age,  they 
must  have  the  written  consent  of  parents  or  guardians. 
The  marriage  license  fee  is  $1.50.  About  25,000  marriage 
licenses  are  issued  annually  in  Cook  County. 

The  County  Comptroller.  The  duties  of  the  Comp- 
troller are  those  which  relate  to  the  financial  affairs  of  the 
county.  He  is  expected  to  devise  plans  for  the  raising  and 
distribution  of  the  revenue  of  the  county,  and  at  the  same 
time  maintain  the  public  credit.  He  prepares  and  issues 
warrants  on  the  treasury  for  all  appropriations  used  by 
the  County  Board. 

The  County  Attorney  is  the  legal  advisor  of  the  County 
Board,  and  has  charge  of  all  its  suits  for  or  against  the 
county. 

The  Civil  Service  Commissioners,  three  in  number, 
are  appointed  by  the  president  of  the  Board  of  County 
Commissioners. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


211 


The  statutes  of  Illinois  provide  that  the  following  em- 
ployees in  the  public  service  of  the  county  shall  be  selected 
and  discharged  on  the  basis  of  merit : — 

1 The  employees  (except  appointive  heads)  of  all  depart- 
ments and  institutions  that  come  under  the  ministerial 
jurisdiction  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners. 

2 Physicians,  surgeons,  and  internes  serving  on  the  at- 
tending staff  of  the  Cook  County  Hospital. 

3 The  probation  officers  of  the  Juvenile  Court. 

Candidates  for  employment  under  the  Civil  Service  laws 

are  examined  by  the  Civil  Service  Commission,  and  ap- 
pointed to  positions  in  the  order  of  their  standing  on  ex- 
amination. 

The  laws  and  rules  governing  the  Commission  are  printed 
in  pamphlet  form  for  the  accommodation  of  the  public. 

The  County  Superintendent  of  Schools  examines  appli- 
cants who  wish  to  become  teachers,  and  issues  certificates 
to  such  as  pass  the  required  examinations.  He  also  visits 
each  school  of  the  county,  outside  of  Chicago,  at  least  once 
each  year,  and  advises  the  school  officers  with  reference  to 
their  schools.  All  facts  of  general  interest  to  the  public, 
pertaining  to  schools,  he  reports  to  the  County  Board  once 
in  two  years. 

The  Cook  County  Teachers’  Association.  The  teach- 
ers of  the  county  are  organized  into  the  Cook  County 
Teachers’  Association,  which  meets  the  second  Saturday 
of  each  month  from  October  to  May  inclusive,  in  the  audi- 
torium of  the  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  of  Chi- 
cago. 

The  funds  for  the  support  of  schools  are  derived  from 


212 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


the  interest  on  the  proceeds  of  sales  of  school  lands  given 
by  the  United  States  government  (one-sixth  part  excepted), 
from  a state  tax  of  one-fifth  per  cent  (or  two  mills) 
on  all  property,  and  the  interest  on  the  surplus  revenue 
distributed  by  act  of  Congress.  The  state  school  fund  is 
distributed  through  the  counties  to  the  townships  in  the 
ratio  of  their  school  population. 

Schools.  According  to  the  County  Superintendent’s 
last  report,  there  are  fourteen  high  schools  in  Cook  County 
outside  of  Chicago.  Eight  of  these  are  township  high 
schools  and  six  are  district  high  schools. 

In  the  township  high  schools  there  are  119  teachers  and 
2,493  pupils ; in  the  district  high  schools  there  are  32 
teachers  and  553  pupils. 

The  township  high  schools  are  located  as  follows : — 

1 Evanston.  5 Berwyn. 

2 Kenilworth.  6 La  Grange. 

3 Desplaines.  7 Harvey. 

4 Oak  Park.  8 Chicago  Heights. 


The  six  district  high  schools  are  located  in  Blue  Island, 
Morgan  Park,  Maywood,  Riverside,  Palatine,  and  Barring- 
ton. 

In  the  142  graded  schools  of  the  country  there  are  944 
teachers  and  31,104  pupils. 

There  are  also  137  districts  having  ungraded  schools, 
in  which  there  are  73  teachers  and  3,580  pupils. 

The  total  number  of  teachers  in  the  public  schools  of  the 
county  outside  of  Chicago  is  1,168;  of  pupils  37,730. 

There  are  81  private  schools  in  the  county  outside  of 
Chicago,  with  202  teachers  and  678  pupils. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


213 


The  States’s  Attorney,  on  behalf  of  the  people,  prose- 
cutes all  violators  of  the  law,  and  acts  as  legal  adviser  for 
all  county  officers. 

The  Coroner’s  chief  duty  is  to  hold  inquests  on  the 
deaths  of  persons  who  have  died  under  suspicious  circum- 
stances. He  is  assisted  by  a jury  of  six  men,  selected  by 
himself.  The  Coroner  takes  charge  of  the  bodies  of  all 
such  persons,  and  places  them  in  the  County  Morgue,  at 
the  corner  of  Wood  and  Polk  Streets,  until  identified  and 
removed  by  friends  or  relatives.  If  not  so  identified,  they 
are  buried  at  the  expense  of  the  county,  in  the  Potter's 
Field,  or  turned  over  to  a medical  college.  If  any  person 
is  implicated  by  the  inquest  as  in  any  way  responsible  for 
the  death  of  the  deceased,  the  Coroner  causes  his  arrest, 
if  he  is  not  already  in  custody.  The  number  of  inquests 
held  in  a year  amount  to  about  four  thousand. 

The  County  Surveyor  surveys  any  piece  of  land  in  the 
county  when  asked  to  do  so  by  an  officer  or  private  citizen. 
He  is  paid  for  his  services  by  the  persons  receiving  them. 

The  Judge  of  the  Probate  Court  has  charge  of  inher- 
itance cases  and  others  of  a kindred  character.  He  ap- 
points administrators  and  guardians. 

The  County  Court,  besides  its  regular  duties,  has  con- 
trol of  all  elections  in  Chicago.  It  has  original  jurisdiction 
in  the  matters  of  taxes  and  assessments,  and  insane  and 
pauper  cases,  and  has  jurisdiction  in  cases  where  the  amount 
involved  is  less  than  $1,000. 

The  Judges  of  the  Superior  Court  and  of  the  Circuit 
Court  have  concurrent  jurisdiction  in  all  cases. 

The  Judges  of  the  First  District  Appellate  Court  hear 


214 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


appeals  from  all  the  city  and  county  courts,  except  criminal 
cases  and  those  affecting  a franchise  or  freehold,  or  the 
validity  of  a statute.  The  decision  of  the  Court  is  final  if 
the  amount  involved  is  less  than  $1,000. 

The  Juvenile  Court  is  designed  to  care  for  dependent, 
neglected,  and  delinquent  children.  It  is  under  the  juris- 
diction of  the  Circuit  and  County  courts.  The  law  ap- 
plies to  boys  under  seventeen  and  girls  under  eighteen 
years  of  age.  Its  aim  is  to  provide  for  the  classes  named, 
as  nearly  as  may  be,  in  homes  or  charitable  institutions, 
such  care  as  should  be  given  by  parents.  Every  year 
parents  who  would  otherwise  neglect  their  children  are  com- 
pelled by  this  court  to  pay  thousands  of  dollars  for  their 
support. 

The  Board  of  Assessors  is  composed  of  five  members. 
They  determine  the  taxes  to  be  paid  on  real  and  personal 
property,  being  guided  by  the  statutes  as  to  the  rate  of 
taxation. 

The  Board  of  Review  is  composed  of  three  members. 
It  is  their  duty  to  revise  and  correct  the  valuations  fixed 
by  the  Assessors,  according  to  their  judgment,  after  hear- 
ing and  considering  the  complaints  of  taxpayers.  Their 
decision  is  final. 

The  Jury  Commissioners.  There  are  three  Jury  Com- 
missioners for  the  county,  appointed  by  the  judges  of  the 
courts  of  record,  whose  duty  it  is,  every  four  years,  to  pre- 
pare a list  of  all  electors  in  the  county,  between  twenty-one 
and  sixty-five  years  of  age.  This  list  is  known  as  the  jury- 
list.  The  names  are  entered  in  a book,  or  books,  kept  for 
that  purpose,  with  the  age,  occupation,  and  residence  of 


GOVERNMENT'  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


215 


each  elector,  and  information  as  to  whether  or  not  he  is 
a householder,  whether  or  not  he  resides  with  his  family, 
and  whether  or  not  he  is  a freeholder.  This  list  may  be 
revised  annually. 

Such  persons  are  notified  by  mail  that  their  names  have 
been  included  in  the  list  of  those  subject  to  be  drawn  for 
jury  service,  and  are  requested  to  report  within  five  days 
whether  or  not  they  are  eligible  for  jury  duty. 

From  time  to  time  the  Commissioners  select  from  the 
jury-list  the  requisite  number  of  names,  and  write  each 
name  on  a separate  ticket,  with  the  age,  place  of  residence, 
and  occupation  of  the  person  named,  and  place  the  whole 
number  of  tickets  in  a box  known  as  the  jury-box. 

The  law  requires  the  Commissioners  to  have  not  less 
than  fifteen  thousand  names  at  all  times  in  the  jury-box. 

For  the  grand  jury,  a separate  list  of  names  is  selected 
in  the  same  way  and  placed  in  a separate  box,  known  as  the 
grand-jury  box.  In  this  box  there  must  be  at  all  times  not 
less  than  one  thousand  names. 

When  a jury  is  to  be  drawn  from  either  box,  one  or 
more  of  the  judges  of  the  court  where  a jury  is  required 
certifies  to  the  clerk  of  the  court  the  number  of  jurors 
wanted ; the  clerk  of  the  court  then  goes  to  the  office  of  the 
Jury  Commissioners,  and,  in  the  presence  of  at  least  two 
of  the  Commissioners  and  their  clerk,  draws  at  random 
from  the  jury-box,  after  it  has  been  well  shaken,  the  neces- 
sary number  of  names.  He  then  certifies  the  same  to  the 
Sheriff,  who  summons  the  persons  according  to  law. 

Jurors  selected  must,  as  far  as  may  be,  reside  in  different 
parts  of  the  county  and  be  of  different  occupations. 


216 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


At  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  court  the  names  of  those 
who  have  served  as  jurors  are  checked  off  from  the  jury- 
list,  and  must  not  be  again  placed  in  either  jury-box  until 
all  other  names  have  served  or  been  found  disqualified  or 
exempt,  but  the  names  of  those  who  have  been  excused 
and  who  possess  the  qualifications  for  jury  service  are  again 
placed  in  the  jury-box. 

Persons  Eligible  for  Jury  Service.  To  be  eligible  for 
jury  service  a man  must  be: — 

1 A citizen  of  the  county,  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years 
or  upward,  and  under  the  age  of  sixty-five  years. 

2 In  the  possession  of  his  natural  faculties,  and  not  infirm 
or  decrepit. 

3 Free  from  all  legal  exceptions,  of  fair  character,  of  ap- 
proved integrity,  of  sound  judgment,  well  informed,  and 
able  to  understand  the  English  language. 

Every  citizen  ought  to  be  willing  to  serve  the  city  in  any 
capacity  where  his  services  are  needed.  When  a business 
man  is  summoned  to  serve  on  a jury  he  should  not  be  ex- 
cused except  for  reasons  specified  by  law.  All  public  of- 
ficers and  employees  of  the  city  should  do  their  best  to 
render  valuable  and  faithful  service.  Every  citizen  should 
willingly  obey  and  respect  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the 
city.  Every  citizen  is  a part  of  the  city,  and  when  he 
serves  the  city  well  he  does  a favor  to  himself. 

Classes  of  Persons  Exempt  from  Jury  Service.  Those 
exempt  from  jury  service  are  practicing  attorneys;  prac- 
ticing physicians ; officiating  clergymen ; professors  and 
teachers  in  colleges  and  schools  during  terms  of  school ; 
members  of  the  State  Militia ; members  of  the  Police  De- 


GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


217 


partment;  members  of  the  Fire  Department;  United  States 
government  officials;  state,  county,  and  city  officials;  judges 
and  clerks  of  election ; registered  and  assistant  pharmacists ; 
embalmers,  undertakers,  and  funeral  directors  actually  en- 
gaged in  their  business ; all  persons  employed  in  the  editorial 
or  mechanical  departments  of  newspapers ; and  persons 
sixty-five  years  of  age  or  over. 

Each  juror  is  paid  two  dollars  a day  for  each  day’s 
service ; also  ten  cents  a mile  for  going  to  and  returning 
from  the  Courthouse,  once  each  way. 

The  Grand  Jury  is  established  for  the  purpose  of  en- 
abling a plaintiff  to  lay  his  complaint  before  a body  of  in- 
telligent men  for  their  decision  as  to  whether  or  not  he  has 
just  cause  for  prosecution.  Such  complaints  are  brought 
before  the  Grand  Jury  by  the  State’s  Attorney  in  the  form 
of  a bill  of  indictment.  The  usual  way  is  for  the  plaintiff 
to  swear  out  a warrant  in  the  Municipal  Court,  whereupon 
the  judge  will  refer  the  matter  to  the  State’s  Attorney  if 
he  thinks  the  evidence  justifies  such  action. 

The  Grand  Jury  also  serves  as  a protection  to  one  accused 
of  crime,  if  he  is  innocent,  since  it  lies  with  the  State’s 
Attorney  to  decline  to  bring  the  case  before  the  Grand 
Jury  if  he  thinks  the  evidence  does  not  justify  such  a step. 
• A full  panel  of  the  Grand  Jury  consists  of  twenty-three 
persons,  at  least  sixteen  of  whom  must  be  present  when  a 
true  bill  is  found,  and  twelve  of  them  must  agree  to  the 
finding. 

The  foreman  of  the  Grand  Jury  is  appointed  by  the  court. 

When  any  twelve  or  more  of  the  Grand  Jury  unite  in 
deciding  that  a bill  of  indictment  has  been  supported  by 


218 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


the  evidence  offered,  the  foreman  indorses  on  the  bill,  “A 
true  bill,”  and  when  they  do  not  find  a bill  to  be  supported 
by  sufficient  evidence,  he  indorses  on  it,  “Not  a true  bill.” 
He  then  signs  his  name  as  foreman  below  the  indorsement, 
and  in  case  of  a true  bill  he  adds  the  names  of  the  witnesses 
upon  whose  evidence  the  bill  was  found  to  be  true,  and  also 
the  name  of  the  prosecutor,  unless  the  true  bill  is  found  on 
the  information  and  knowledge  of  two  or  more  of  the 
Grand  Jury,  or  some  public  officer  in  the  necessary  discharge 
of  his  duty,  in  which  case  no  prosecutor  is  required,  but  it 
must  be  stated  at  the  end  of  the  indictment  how  the  same  is 
found. 

The  name  of  the  prosecutor  is  required  in  order  to  pre- 
vent a malicious  prosecution,  for  if  the  defendant,  on  trial, 
is  found  not  guilty,  and  the  petit  jurors  have  found  that  the 
prosecutor  acted  maliciously  in  the  premises,  the  court  is 
required  to  enter  judgment  for  costs  against  the  prose- 
cutor, including  a fee  of  five  dollars  to  the  State’s  At- 
torney. 

When  a true  bill  is  found,  the  defendant  is  admitted  to 
bail  if  the  offense  is  one  for  which  bail  may  be  offered,  and 
the  clerk  of  the  court  in  which  the  indictment  is  found  im- 
mediately issues  an  order  to  the  Sheriff  for  the  arrest  of 
each  person  indicted,  if  he  has  not  already  been  arrested. 

A Grand  Jury  considers  only  criminal  cases,  while  a petit 
jury  considers  both  civil  and  criminal  cases. 

The  Superintendent  of  Public  Service  purchases  sup- 
plies for  the  county  institutions,  for  which  he  secures  bids. 
He  also  secures  bids  for  county  printing,  and  for  the  con- 
struction and  repair  of  buildings. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


219 


THE  TOWN  GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 

The  state  constitution  provides  that  the  people  of  any 
county  of  the  state  may  organize  the  county  into  town- 
ships. 

There  are  thirty-seven  different  towns  in  Cook  County, 
seven  of  which  are  wholly  within  the  city  of  Chicago,  also 
a part  of  the  eighth.  Those  outside  of  the  city  are : — 


Barrington, 

Northfield, 

Berwyn, 

Norwood  Park, 

Bloom, 

Oak  Park, 

Bremen, 

Orland, 

The  south  part  of  Calumet,  Palatine, 

Cicero, 

Palos, 

Elk  Grove, 

Proviso, 

Evanston, 

Rich, 

Hanover, 

Ridgeville, 

Lemont, 

Riverside, 

Leyden, 

Schaumburg, 

Lyons, 

Stickney, 

Maine, 

Thornton, 

New  Trier, 

Wheeling, 

Niles, 

Worth. 

Dse  within  the  city  are : — 

Hyde  Park, 

North  Town, 

Jefferson, 

South  Town, 

Lake, 

West  Town, 

Lake  View, 

Part  of  Calumet. 

The  population  of  the  country  towns  is  about  150,000; 
of  the  city,  about  2,250,000. 


220 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


While  Chicago  covers  only  about  one-fourth  the  area 
of  the  county,  its  population  is  fifteen  times  greater  than 
that  of  all  the  country  towns  combined. 

Each  town  outside  of  Chicago  elects  its  own  Supervisor, 
Assessor,  Collector,  Highway  Commissioners  (usually 
three),  Justices  of  the  Peace  (usually  two),  Constables 
(usually  two),  Police  Magistrate  (usually  one),  and 
three  School  Trustees. 

In  the  towns  within  the  city,  the  County  Treasurer  is 
ex-officio  Supervisor  and  Collector,  and  the  County  Clerk 
is  ex-officio  Assessor  and  Town  Clerk.  These  towns  have 
no  Highway  Commissioners,  Justices  of  the  Peace,  or  Con- 
stables. The  Municipal  Court  of  Chicago,  its  Bailiff,  and 
its  Clerk  take  the  place  of  Justices  of  the  Peace  and  Con- 
stables. Town  government  within  the  city  was  abolished 
when  the  city  accepted  the  privileges  granted  by  the  legis- 
lature of  1901. 

The  election  of  town  officers  occurs  the  first  Tuesday 
in  April  of  each  year,  after  the  custom  of  the  New  Eng- 
land “town  meeting,”  at  which  time,  also,  any  legislation 
may  be  enacted  which  is  in  accordance  with  the  statutes, 
such  as  relates  to  the  acquisition  or  sale  of  town  property, 
the  fixing  of  taxes  for  roads  and  bridges,  the  removal  of 
noxious  weeds,  vermin,  etc.,  the  impounding  of  cattle  run- 
ning at  large,  the  erection  of  public  drinking-fountains,  etc. 

The  Supervisor  is  the  general  manager  of  the  town  busi- 
ness. He  acts  as  overseer  of  the  poor,  and  receives  and 
pays  out  all  town  money  except  that  belonging  to  the  high- 
way and  school  funds. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


221 


The  Clerk  is  custodian  of  the  town  records,  books,  and 
papers. 

The  Highway  Commissioners  have  oversight  of  the  roads 
and  bridges  in  the  town. 

The  Assessor  fixes  the  tax  value  of  all  real  estate  in  the 
township.  His  report  is  laid  before  the  County  Board  and 
values  are  adjusted  so  as  to  compare  equitably  with  those 
from  other  townships.  An  abstract  of  the  corrected  assess- 
ment is  then  placed  before  a State  Board  of  Equalization, 
where  the  valuations  between  counties  are  adjusted  before 
the  taxes  are  collected. 

The  Collector.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Collector  to  gather 
up  the  taxes  and  apportion  to  each  fund  its  proper  quota. 

The  compensation  of  town  officers  usually  depends  on 
fixed  fees  for  specific  services,  percentages,  or  a per  diem 
for  time  actually  employed  in  official  duties. 

The  School  Trustees  may  divide  the  town  into  school  dis- 
tricts, which  are  usually  two  miles  square,  nine  such  dis- 
tricts covering  the  whole  township  of  thirty-six  square  miles. 
A schoolhouse  is  usually  erected  near  the  center  of  each  dis- 
trict. 

According  to  the  new  school  law  enacted  by  the  Forty- 
sixth  General  Assembly,  which  goes  into  effect  the  first 
Monday  in  November,  1910,  each  district  having  less  than 
one  thousand  inhabitants,  and  not  governed  by  any  special 
act  of  the  Legislature,  must  elect,  on  the  first  Saturday  of 
April  each  year,  three  school  directors,  who  may  levy  taxes 
for  school  purposes,  not  to  exceed  a rate  of  1.5  per  cent, 
for  educational  and  1.5  per  cent  for  building  purposes. 

The  Board  of  Directors.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Board  of 


222 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Directors  to  employ  all  teachers  and  to  fix  their  salaries ; 
to  provide  the  necessary  revenue  for  maintaining  the  schools 
in  accordance  with  the  statute ; to  adopt  and  enforce  rules 
for  the  management  of  the  schools ; to  determine  the 
branches  to  be  taught  and  the  books  and  the  apparatus  to 
be  used  in  the  schools ; to  enforce  uniformity  of  text-books 
and  not  to  permit  any  text-book  to  be  changed  oftener  than 
once  in  four  years ; to  keep  the  schools  open  at  least  six 
months  in  each  year;  to  purchase  and  loan  to  indigent  pupils 
such  text-books  as  they  may  be  required  to  use ; and  in  gen- 
eral to  manage  all  the  affairs  of  the  schools. 

No  school  officers  are  entitled  to  any  salary. 

THE  TORRENS  LAND  ACT 

The  Torrens  Land  Act  was  first  passed  in  1895,  but  cer- 
tain features  of  it  were  declared  unconstitutional,  and  in 
1897  a new  act  was  passed.  This  act  provided  that  the 
Torrens  system  of  transfering  real  estate  should  become 
legal  in  any  county  of  the  state  whenever  adopted  at  a 
special  county  election  called  for  that  purpose.  In  this  state 
only  Cook  County  has  yet  adopted  the  system. 

The  aim  of  the  system  is  to  simplify  and  facilitate  the 
transfer  of  land  titles  and  reduce  the  expense  involved  in 
such  transfer.  The  cost  of  bringing  a tract  of  land  under 
the  operation  of  the  act  is  about  twenty-five  dollars,  but 
after  this  has  been  done  transfers  can  be  made  at  a total 
expense  of  three  dollars,  without  the  usual  fees  to  attorneys 
and  writers  of  abstracts.  In  the  words  of  the  Secretary  of 
State:  “In  obtaining  a certificate  of  title  under  this  act,  the 
land  owner  secures  at  less  than  the  usual  cost  of  an  ab- 


GOVERNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


223 


stract,  a thorough  examination  of  his  land  title,  a decree 
confirming  the  title,  the  insurance  of  his  title  for  two  years 
by  the  indemnity  fund  provided  for  that  purpose,  and,  at 
the  end  of  two  years,  an  absolute  defense  under  the  statute 
against  any  attack  that  can  be  made  upon  his  title.” 

Nature  of  the  Torrens  System.  It  has  been  the  custom 
for  hundreds  of  years,  in  this  country  and  in  England,  to 
place  on  record  in  a book  kept  for  that  purpose  by  the 
County  Recorder,  a full  copy  of  every  deed  of  conveyance. 
This  plan  still  prevails  in  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  nearly  all 
the  states  and  territories  of  this  country.  In  England,  ex- 
cept in  the  counties  of  Middlesex  and  York  (where  deeds 
are  recorded,  as  in  Scotland  and  Ireland),  deeds  are  de- 
posited with  solicitors  and  conveyancers. 

About  1854  Robert  Torrens  in  England  published  what 
has  since  been  known  as  the  Torrens  system  of  transfer- 
ring real  estate.  Its  prominent  features  are  brevity  and 
simplicity  in  the  process  of  transfer. 

It  resembles  the  system  by  which  banks  and  stock  com- 
panies keep  their  books,  where  everything  relating  to  a 
personal  account  is  set  forth  upon  a single  page.  The 
complete  status  of  a title  to  real  estate  is  written  upon  a 
single  folio  and  may  be  seen  at  a glance.  This  is  “the 
pivot  upon  which  the  whole  mechanism  of  the  system 
turns,”  as  Mr.  Torrens  said.  A single  short  paper  called 
a certificate  of  title  takes  the  place  of  an  abstract  of  title, 
and  may  be  bought  and  sold  like  a certificate  of  stock  or  a 
bond. 

Difference  betzveen  the  Old  System  and  the  New.  By 
the  Torrens  system  the  title  is  registered;  by  the  old  system 


224 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


the  deed  is  recorded.  The  difference  between  these  two 
systems  is  substantially  as  follows : — In  the  recording  of 
deeds,  the  title  to  property  passes  from  one  party  to  the 
other  on  the  execution  and  delivery  of  the  deed,  but  the 
purchaser  must  then  have  the  deed  recorded  as  a public 
notice  of  transfer,  and  the  condition- of  the  title  can  be 
learned  only  by  an  examination  of  the  records  by  lawyers 
specially  skilled  in  the  business,  and  the  opinion  of  such 
lawyers,  whether  correct  or  not,  is  what  the  client  must 
rely  upon  as  to  the  validity  of  his  title.  These  examina- 
tions must  be  repeated  at  much  expense  every  time  the 
property  is  sold  or  mortgaged. 

But  in  the  registration  of  titles  there  is  no  transfer  of 
title  until  such  transfer  is  entered  on  the  Registrar’s  book. 
The  deed  is  simply  a power  of  attorney  to  authorize  the 
transfer  to  be  made.  The  actual  transfer  and  public 
notice  are  therefore  simultaneous. 

In  the  recording  of  deeds,  the  validity  of  the  title  de- 
pends upon  an  attorney’s  opinion,  formed  after  an  exami- 
nation of  the  records ; under  the  registration  plan  the  reg- 
ister speaks  for  itself ; the  transfer  there  entered  is  in- 
defeasible ; that  is,  it  cannot  be  questioned. 

The  Certificate  of  Title.  The  certificate  of  title  may  be 
compared  to  a certificate  of  stock.  The  Registrar  cor- 
responds to  the  Secretary  of  the  corporation ; the  transferee 
to  the  shareholder  who  receives  his  certificate  from  the 
Secretary;  the  seller  in  each  case  instructs  the  holder  of 
the  books  to  substitute  the  buyer’s  name  in  place  of  his 
own  on  the  register;  the  certificate  is  handed  to  the  buyer, 
and  this  is  his  evidence  of  ownership  of  the  land  or  the 


GOVEKNMENT  OF  COOK  COUNTY 


225 


stock ; the  title  does  not  have  to  be  investigated  and  a new 
opinion  secured  every  time  a transfer  is  made;  all  question 
as  to  that  has  been  settled  once  for  all  by  the  examiner  of 
titles,  whose  authority  holds  and  passes  from  one  sale  to 
another. 

The  chief  features  of  the  Torrens  system  have  been  in 
use  in  Hamburg  for  six  hundred  years,  in  Prussia  and 
Bavaria  for  more  than  a hundred  years,  and  in  recent  years 
have  been  adopted  in  Australia,  Manitoba,  and  other  Eng- 
lish colonies.  No  community  having  once  adopted  the 
system  has  ever  abandoned  it  altogether. 

TAXATION  IN  CHICAGO 

There  are  now  eleven  boards  which  levy  taxes  annually 
within  the  city  of  Chicago,  as  follows 

1 State  Tax.  For  state  purposes.  From  fifty  to  sixty 

cents  on  the  one  hundred  dollars  assessed  valuation. 
The  General  Assembly  of  the  state  levies  taxes  to 
cover  the  state  expenses.  The  Governor,  the  Au- 
ditor, and  the  Treasurer  constitute  a board  to  deter- 
mine the  rate  per  cent  required  to  produce  the 
amount  levied. 

2 County  Tax.  For  county  purposes.  Levied  by  the 

County  Board,  not  to  exceed  seventy-five  cents  on 
the  one  hundred  dollars. 

3 City  Tax.  For  city  purposes.  Levied  by  the  Mayor 

and  the  City  Council,  limited  to  two  dollars  on  the 
one  hundred  dollars. 

4 School  Tax,  Levied  separately  by  the  Mayor  and  the 


226 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


City  Council,  limited  to  two  dollars  and  a half  on 
the  one  hundred  dollars. 

5 Library  Tax.  Levied  separately  by  the  Mayor  and 

Council,  limited  to  ten  cents  on  the  one  hundred 
dollars. 

6 Sanitary  District.  Levied  by  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

7 South  Park  System.  Levied  by  the  South  Park  Com- 

missioners for  parks  in  the  towns  of  South  Chicago, 
Plyde  Park,  and  Lake. 

8 West  Park  System.  Levied  by  the  West  Chicago 

Park  Commissioners  for  parks  in  the  town  of  West 
Chicago. 

9 Lincoln  Park.  Levied  by  the  County  Treasurer,  act- 

ing as  ex-officio  supervisor,  since  the  Lincoln  Park 
Commissioners  are  not  “corporate  authorities.” 

10  Ridge  Park  (a  small  district  in  Rogers  Park).  Levied 

by  a board  of  five  commissioners. 

11  North  Shore  Park  District.  Organized  like  Ridge 

Park  District,  by  popular  vote. 

The  average  rate  of  taxation  for  all  purposes  in  1909  was 
6.391  per  cent. 

The  tax  rate  is  based  on  an  assessed  valuation  of  one- 
third  of  the  full  value  of  the  property. 


ILLINOIS 


THE  GEOGRAPHY  OF  ILLINOIS 


The  Surface  of  Illinois.  The  State  of  Illinois  is  385 
miles  in  length  and  218  miles  in  width,  covering  56,665 
square  miles,  or  36,265,600  acres.  The  highest  elevation 
of  land  is  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state,  which  is  about 
1,175  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  From  here  the  sur- 
face slopes  gradually  to  the  most  southern  point,  where  it  is 
only  350  feet  above  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  surface  is 
level,  except  for  an  irregular  range  of  hills  in  the  southern 
part,  stretching  from  Grand  Tower  on  the  west  to  Shawnee- 
town  on  the  east. 

Rivers.  The  territory  of  Illinois  extends  to  the  mid- 
dle of  the  Ohio  River  on  the  southern  boundary  and  the 
middle  of  the  Mississippi  River  on  the  west.  The  Illinois 
River  lies  wholly  within  the  state,  and  is  nearly  five  hun- 
dred miles  in  length,  about  one-half  of  which  is  navigable. 

By  the  great  Drainage  Canal,  which  unites  Lake  Michigan 
with  the  Illinois  River,  there  is  a continuous  water  passage 
through  the  state  from  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico. 

Agricultural  Products.  Because  of  the  extreme  length 
of  Illinois  from  north  to  south,  which  is  more  than  five 
and  a half  degrees  of  latitude,  nearly  every  staple  food 
product  of  the  world  is  grown  within  her  borders.  The 
value  of  all  the  gold  and  silver  mined  in  the  United  States 

229 


230 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


in  one  year  is  not  equal  to  that  of  the  farm  products  of 
Illinois  in  the  same  period  of  time. 

The  four  leading  crops  of  feeding  grains  are  corn,  wheat, 
oats,  and  barley. 

The  Secretary  of  Agriculture  gives  the  coni  area  of  Illi- 
nois in  1909  as  10,300,000  acres,  from  which  369,770,000 
bushels  were  produced.  This  is  the  largest  acreage  ever 
shown  by  any  state,  Iowa  being  second  in  acreage  and  in 
number  of  bushels  produced. 

The  wheat  acreage  was  1,810,000  acres;  the  yield,  31,- 
494,000  bushels. 

The  acreage  of  oats  was  4,346,000  acres;  the  yield,  159,- 
000,000  bushels. 

The  acreage  of  barley  was  31,000  acres,  yielding  868,000 
bushels. 

Mineral  Products.  Illinois  is  covered  in  large  part  by 
the  products  of  the  carboniferous  era.  From  the  northwest 
to  the  southeast  an  immense  coal  field  may  be  traced  for 
375  miles,  and  from  St.  Louis  to  the  northeast,  about  200 
miles,-  covering  a total  area  of  about  45,000  square  miles. 
Only  certain  portions  of  this  great  area  contain  workable 
coal  mines,  however.  The  coal  produced  is  bituminous. 

Various  kinds  of  limestone  are  quarried  within  the  state, 
from  which  many  of  the  public  buildings  have  been  con- 
structed. 

The  soil  is  generally  black  and  of  a loamy  character. 

The  Manufacture  of  Coke  for  Fuel.  Experiments  are 
being  made  on  an  extensive  scale  to  convert  Illinois  coal 
into  coke,  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  overcoming  the  smoke 
nuisance  in  manufacturing  localities  and  on  railroads.  Some 


THE  GEOGRAPHY  OF  ILLINOIS 


231 


of  the  railroad  companies  have  already  succeeded  in  pro- 
ducing a good  commercial  coke  in  limited  quantities,  and 
the  University  of  Illinois  has  declared  in  favor  of  the  feasi- 
bility of  such  a product.  Coke  as  fuel  would  undoubtedly  be 
cheaper,  cleaner,  and  more  healthful  than  coal. 

The  supply  of  coal  in  Illinois  is  almost  inexhaustible.  The 
state  covers  56,665  square  miles,  and  35,600  square  miles  of 
that  area  is  underlaid  with  coal  which  has  from  one  to  seven 
seams.  It  is  estimated  that  Illinois  can  furnish  240,000,- 
000,000  tons  of  minable  coal,  which  is  seven  times  as  much 
as  the  total  product  of  the  United  States  in  a year.  So 
that  if  Illinois  alone  were  called  upon  to  supply  all  the  coal 
consumed  in  the  United  States,  it  could  do  so  for  a period 
of  more  than  seven  hundred  years. 

In  1908  49,273,454  tons  were  mined  in  the  state,  this 
amount  being  taken  from  fifty-four  counties.  If  it  is  found 
that  the  vast  supply  of  coal  beneath  the  surface  in  Illinois 
can  be  converted  into  coke,  the  mining-interests  of  the  state 
will  receive  an  impetus  truly  wonderful. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Marquette  and  Joliet.  In  1669,  Father  James  Mar- 
quette, a zealous  and  popular  young  priest  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  was  serving  as  a missionary  to  the  In- 
dians at  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  From  here  he  was  directed  to 
go  to  La  Pointe,  in  northern  Wisconsin,  near  what  is  now 
Ashland,  to  relieve  Father  Allouez,  who  was  transferred 
from  La  Pointe  to  Green  Bay,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Fox 
River. 

In  1671  the  sovereignty  of  the  French  over  the  Great 
Lakes  was  proclaimed  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and  was  wel- 
comed by  the  Algonquin  Indians,  several  tribes  of  whom 
were  present.  These  tribes  were  constantly  at  war  with 
the  Iroquois  on  the  east  and  the  Sioux  on  the  west. 

After  a time  the  Sioux  compelled  the  abandonment  of  the 
mission  at  La  Pointe,  and  Marquette,  with  a band  of  Huron 
Indians,  went  to  Michilimackinac  and  founded  the  mission 
of  St.  Ignace,  near  what  later  became  known  as  Old  Macki- 
nac. Here  Louis  Joliet  first  met  Marquette.  He  was  on 
his  way  to  Quebec  with  copper  ores  which  he  had  taken 
from  Indian  mines  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior.  Joliet 
was  an  enthusiastic  trader  and  explorer,  and  became  greatly 
interested  in  the  stories  told  him  by  Marquette  about  a tribe 
of  Illini  Indians  who  had  visited  his  mission  at  La  Pointe. 
Both  men  wished  to  penetrate  the  unknown  region  from 

232 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


233 


which  the  Indians  had  come — Marquette  that  he  might 
carry  the  story  of  the  cross  to  the  tribes  along  the  “Mes- 
sippi,”  and  Joliet  that  he  might  cooperate  in  this  and  at  the 
same  time  gratify  his  desire  for  adventure. 

On  returning  to  Quebec,  Joliet  obtained  a commission 
to  join  Marquette  in  the  search  for  the  Great  River,  and  in 
two  years  was  back  at  St.  Ignace,  ready  for  the  expedition. 
It  was  in  May,  1673,  that  they  set  out  on  their  perilous 
journey,  in  two  birch-bark  canoes,  accompanied  by  five  com- 
panions. Reaching  Green  Bay,  they  proceeded  southward 
along  the  western  shore  to  the  mouth  of  the  Fox  River, 
which  stream  they  ascended  to  a point  where  its  waters  are 
only  a little  over  a mile  from  those  of  the  Wisconsin.  Here 
they  landed  and  carried  their  canoes  across  the  divide — as 
the  high  land  is  called  which  separates  the  waters  flowing 
eastward  into  the  St.  Lawrence  system  from  those  flowing 
westward  into  the  Mississippi  system — at  what  has  since 
been  called  Portage  in  remembrance  of  this  event ; descended 
the  Wisconsin  River  to  the  Mississippi  and  continued  down 
the  Great  River  to  the  borders  of  Arkansas.  Paddling  back 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  River,  they  ascended  that  stream 
to  the  north  fork  of  the  Desplaines,  and  thus  passed  into 
the  Chicago  River  and  Lake  Michigan.  They  made  their 
way  to  the  Green  Bay  Mission,  where  Marquette  remained, 
while  Joliet  in  the  spring  left  for  Quebec. 

On  his  return  to  Quebec  Joliet  suggested  the  cutting  of  a 
canal  through  the  divide  in  the  neighborhood  of  where  Sum- 
mit now  is,  so  that  one  might  go  by  boat  from  Lake  Michi- 
gan to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

While  making  their  way  up  the  Illinois  River,  the  ex- 


234 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


plorers  rested  at  the  Indian  village  of  Ivaskaskia,  in  what 
is  to-day  La  Salle  County,  where  the  village  of  Utica  now 
is — near  the  bluff  which  a hundred  years  later  became  his- 
toric as  the  scene  where  the  last  of  the  Illinois  Indians  were 
literally  starved  to  death  by  their  enemies,  the  Pottawatto- 
mies.  While  here  Marquette  became  very  much  attached 
to  the  Indians  and  promised  that  he  would  return  and  found 
a mission  among  them. 

Late  in  October,  1674,  the  priest  therefore  set  out  from 
the  Green  Bay  mission  to  return  to  Ivaskaskia.  The  com- 
pany with  which  he  traveled  consisted  of  two  French  voy- 
agers and  a few  Illinois  and  Pottawattomie  Indians.  They 
had  ten  canoes  and  thoroughly  explored  all  the  streams 
they  came  across  on  the  way.  It  was  the  14th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1674,  before  they  arrived  at  the  “portage,”  as  the 
French  called  the  elevated  plain  which  separated  the  Chi- 
cago River  from  the  Illinois. 

The  condition  of  Marquette’s  health  was  at  that  time 
such  that  he  decided  to  spend  the  winter  at  this  point  rather 
than  attempt  the  last  hundred  miles  of  his  journey  to  Kas- 
kaskia.  He  spent  the  winter  in  a cabin  near  what  is  now 
known  as  Robey  Street  and  the  South  Branch,  and  thus  be- 
came not  only  the  first  white  man  to  discover  Chicago,  but 
also  one  of  its  first  white  residents. 

At  this  point,  in  September,  1907,  the  city  erected  the 
Marquette- Joliet  Memorial  Cross,  constructed  of  solid  ma- 
hogany, fourteen  feet  high.  The  cross  commemorates  the 
visit  of  Marquette  and  Joliet  to  this  place  in  1673.  It  was 
donated  by  Mr.  G.  L.  Willey,  whose  lumber  yard  occupies 
the  place  where  Marquette  spent  the  winter  of  1674-5.  A 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


235 


bronze  tablet  is  inserted  in  the  concrete  base  of  the  cross, 
bearing  the  following  inscription : — 

In  memory  of  Father  Marquette,  S.  J.,  and  Louis  Joliet  of  New 
France  (Canada),  first  white  explorers  of  the  Mississippi  and  Illi- 
nois Rivers  and  Lake  Michigan,  1673,  navigating  2,500  miles,  in 
canoes,  in  120  days.  In  crossing  the  site  of  Chicago,  Joliet  recom- 
mended it,  for  its  natural  advantages,  as  a place  of  first  settlement 
and  suggested  a lake  to  the  gulf  waterway  (see  “Jesuit  Relations,” 
Vol.  58,  p.  no),  by  cutting  a canal  through  the  “portage”  west  of 
here  where  begins  the  Chicago  Drainage  Ship  Canal.  Work  on 
this  canal  was  begun  Sept.  3,  1892,  and  received  the  first  waters  of 
Lake  Michigan  Jan.  2,  1900.  This  remarkable  prophecy  made 
234  years  ago  is  now  being  fulfilled.  This  end  of  Robey  Street  is 
the  historic  “high  ground”  where  Marquette  spent  the  winter  of 
I674-5- 

“To  do  and  suffer  everything  for  so  glorious  an  undertaking.” 
Marquette’s  Journal. 

Erected  Sat.,  Sept.  28,  1907,  by  the  city  of  Chicago  and  Chicago 
Association  of  Commerce. 

Late  in  March,  1675,  the  voyagers  again  took  up  their 
march,  crossed  the  portage,  and  arrived-  at  Kaskaskia  late 
in  April,  where  Marquette  was  most  heartily  welcomed.  But 
he  was  conscious  of  his  approaching  death,  and  therefore 
tarrying  at  Kaskaskia  only  a few  days,  he  was  escorted 
back  to  Lake  Michigan  by  way  of  the  Kankakee  portage, 
hoping  to  return  to  St.  Ignace.  Late  in  May  he  arrived  at 
a point  near  where  the  little  village  of  Glenn  Haven,  Mich., 
now  stands,  not  far  from  St.  Joseph,  and  there  died  at  the 
age  of  thirty-seven.  His  bones  were  later  removed  by  the 
Indians,  but  it  is  not  known  with  certainty  where  they  were 
buried,  whether  at  St,  Ignace,  Frankfort,  Ludington,  the 
St.  Francis  Xavier  Mission  at  Green  Bay,  or  Old  Mackinac. 

La  Salle  and  Tonty.  Robert  Cavelier,  Sieur  de  La- 


236 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Salle,  a name  shortened  into  LaSalle  by  the  American 
tendency  to  shorten  everything  possible,  was  a French  ad- 
venturer to  whom  the  French  king  had  granted  an  estate 
on  the  Island  of  Montreal.  He  was  in  charge  of  Fort 
Frontenac  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Ontario  (where  he  had  also 
been  given  some  lands  adjacent),  when,  in  1674,  Joliet 
made  his  report  of  having  discovered  the  Mississippi,  the 
Illinois,  and  the  Chicago  rivers.  At  once  he  set  his  heart 
on  opening  up  this  great  territory  for  the  fur  trade,  in  which 
he  was  interested.  lie  went  to  France  and  secured  a com- 
mission to  explore,  colonize,  and  trade  in  the  great  valley 
of  the  Mississippi.  Returning,  he  sold  his  estate,  mortgaged 
his  lands  near  Fort  Frontenac,  and  built  a fort  at  Niagara. 
He  then  constructed  a sailing-vessel  which  he  called  the 
Griffin. 

In  1679  he  .began  his  first  voyage  to  the  westward  to 
execute  his  commission.  From  Green  Bay  he  sent  the 
Griffin  back  to  Montreal  with  a load  of  furs.  Then,  in 
canoes,  he  and  a party  of  fourteen  men,  guided  by  a band 
of  Pottawattomies,  passed  down  the  western,  along  the 
southern,  and  up  the  eastern  shores  of  Lake  Michigan  to 
the  mouth  of  the  St.  Joseph  River,  where  he  built  Fort 
Miami.  Proceeding  up  the  St.  Joseph  to  the  portage  at 
what  is  now  South  Bend,  the  party  crossed  to  the  Kankakee 
River,  and,  paddling  down  it,  entered  the  Illinois.  Continu- 
ing to  an  Indian  village  near  the  present  site  of  Peoria,  he 
there  built  Fort  Crevecceur. 

The  Griffin  had  been  lost  on  its  return  voyage,  and  La- 
Salle, with  five  companions,  started  for  Montreal  to  obtain 
supplies,  leaving  his  faithful  lieutenant,  Henri  de  Tonty,  in 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


237 


charge  at  Crevecoeur,  with  instructions  also  to  fortify  the 
bluff  near  Kaskaskia,  now  called  “Starved  Rock.”  Passing 
through  the  Chicago  portage  in  March,  1680,  he  left  his 
canoes  where  the  city  of  Joliet  now  stands,  and  struck  out 
for  the  lake  across  the  prairies,  and  continued  his  journey 
on  foot,  a distance  of  twelve  hundred  miles,  to  Fort  Fronte- 
nac. 

During  his  absence  the  hostile  Iroquois  fell  upon  the  Illi- 
nois Indians  at  Kaskaskia  and  completely  routed  or  killed 
them  all.  Tonty  barely  escaped  with  his  life.  Making  his 
way  to  the  Chicago  portage  in  October,  1680,  he  probably 
rested  in  the  same  cabin  occupied  by  Marquette  fifteen  years 
before.  Late  in  November  he  reached  Green  Bay,  and 
later  made  his  way  to  the  mission  at  Mackinac.  Here  La- 
Salle met  him  the  next  year  and  together  they  returned  to 
Canada,  and  then  started  once  more  for  the  country  of  the 
Illinois. 

On  the  bluff  near  the  ruins  of  Kaskaskia  they  built  Fort 
St.  Louis,  hoping  by  the  aid  of  many  friendly  tribes  to  be 
able  to  defend  their  position  against  the  Iroquois.  In  1684 
LaSalle  returned  to  France  for  financial  help,  going  first 
down  the  Mississippi  and  taking  possession  of  the  country 
in  the  name  of  France.  Tonty  was  left  at  Fort  St.  Louis. 

The  king  gave  LaSalle  the  aid  he  desired,  including  four 
vessels,  abundant  supplies,  and  a hundred  soldiers.  He 
sailed  for  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  hoping  to  find  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi,  but  in  the  wilds  of  what  is  now  Texas, 
through  the  treachery  of  those  who  either  harbored  a jealous 
spirit  or  had  come  to  regard  him  as  a deluded  adventurer, 
he  was  assassinated.  He  was  forty-three  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  his  death. 


iJ38 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Tonty  was  unable  to  defend  himself  against  the  Iroquois, 
Sacs,  and  Foxes,  and  was  obliged  again  to  flee  from  the 
spot  chosen  for  a permanent  home.  After  vainly  trying  to 
meet  LaSalle  again,  going  twice  down  the  Mississippi  River 
for  that  purpose,  and  visiting  Mackinac  for  help,  he  built  a 
fort  (1685)  on  the  Chicago  River,  probably  where  the 
Kinzie  House  later  stood.  Here  and  at  Fort  St.  Louis 
Tonty  spent  the  next  ten  years.  In  1704  he  went  to  Mobile 
and  died  there  soon  after. 

Indians  in  Illinois.  The  American  Indian  has  been  a 
prominent  factor  in  shaping  the  early  history  of  Illinois. 
Some  of  the  most  celebrated  names  of  Indian  heroes  and 
chiefs  figure  prominently  in  Illinois  history. 

The  Illinois  Indians  comprised  a confederacy  of  the 
Peorias,  the  Kaskaskias,  the  Cahokias,  the  Tamaroas,  and 
the  Michigamies.  They  occupied  and  claimed  nearly  the 
whole  of  what  is  now  the  state  of  Illinois,  as  well  as  con- 
tiguous portions  of  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  and  Missouri.  They 
belonged  to  the  great  Algonquin  family,  and  were  friendly 
to  the  French.  For  this  reason,  and  in  order  to  deprive 
them  of  their  rich  hunting-grounds,  the  hostile  Iroquois,  as 
well  as  other  tribes,  made  constant  war  upon  them. 

The  original  name  of  the  Illinois  was  “Illini,”  meaning 
“real  men.”  The  French  changed  the  plural  ending  of  the 
word  by  substituting  their  own  termination — ois. 

At  last  the  Iroquois  surprised  the  Illinois  and  conquered 
them.  The  shattered  remnant,  in  1680,  were  assailed  by  the 
Pottawattomies,  and  actually  died  from  thirst  and  hunger, 
in  their  impregnable  fortress  upon  what  has  since  been 
known  as  “Starved  Rock,”  on  the  Illinois  River.  Only  one 
escaped  to  tell  the  tale  of  their  sufferings. 


THE  HISTOEY  OF  ILLINOIS 


239 


In  the  spring  of  1681  LaSalle  induced  many  of  the 
Algonquin  tribes  to  join  themselves  together  into  a con- 
federation, for  the  purpose  of  defense  against  the  Iroquois. 

The  French  in  Illinois.  After  twenty  years  of  hope- 
less struggle  to  hold  together  the  Indian  confederation 
which  had  been  formed  by  LaSalle,  and  forgotten  by  those 
in  France  who  had  pledged  their  support  to  LaSalle,  Tonty 
was  obliged  to  tell  his  devoted  Indian  followers  that  their 
only  hope  was  to  turn  their  faces  southward  and  relinquish 
their  lands  to  the  aggressive  Iroquois,  Sacs,  and  Foxes. 
Their  names  remain  with  us  in  Peoria,  Cahokia,  Kaskaskia, 
Tamaroa,  etc. 

The  French  were  now  planning  to  reenter  and  possess 
the  territory  from  the  south,  and  this  is  why  we  find  Tonty 
spending  his  last  days  in  Mobile. 

The  Pottawattomies,  Sacs,  and  Foxes  took  possession  of 
northern  Illinois,  and  there  is  no  vital  history  of  that  por- 
tion of  the  state  until  nearly  a hundred  years  later. 

A new  Kaskaskia  was  founded  at  the  junction  of  the 
river  now  called  Kaskaskia  and  the  Mississippi,  and  it  was 
here  that  the  government  of  Illinois  was  first  to  be  set  up. 
Here  the  French  commander  had  his  headquarters,  and 
here  was  the  metropolis  of  northern  Louisiana.  Illinois 
was  at  that  time  a part  of  the  state  of  Virginia,  and  Kas- 
kaskia was  practically  the  county  seat  of  its  largest  county, 
and  of  course  the  capital  of  the  Illinois  country.  In  1725 
it  became  an  incorporated  town.  When  Illinois  became  a 
state  in  1818,  Kaskaskia  was  made  its  capital. 

The  Mississippi  Bubble.  About  sixteen  miles  north  of 
Kaskaskia  and  sixty  miles  south  of  the  present  site  of  St. 


240 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Louis,  the  French  built  Fort  Chartres,  which  they  officered 
and  maintained  in  the  most  extravagant  style,  thinking  they 
were  in  the  midst  of  a country  of  untold  wealth  in  minerals 
and  all  products  which  go  to  enrich  a country.  Farms  were 
laid  out  and  tilled  and  half  a dozen  villages  sprang  up  both 
north  and  south  of  Kaskaskia.  The  “Illinois  country,”  as 
it  was  called,  was  not  definitely  limited  in  its  boundary,  and 
was  assumed  to  extend  west  of  the  Mississippi  River  into 
Missouri  and  Iowa,  and  also  Wisconsin.  Mines  of  silver 
and  of  gold  and  even  of  diamonds  were  supposed  to  exist 
in  various  parts  of  this  country,  especially  beneath  the  lead 
mines  of  Missouri  and  Galena,  where  the  hostile  Indians 
were  still  the  rulers. 

The  wealth  of  France  was  poured  into  this  region  through 
a company  which  was  called  the  Company  of  the  West, 
formed  in  Paris  by  John  Law,  a rich  banker  of  that  city. 
Even  King  Louis  and  his  courtiers  were  heavy  investors  in 
this  company.  At  last,  in  1781,  after  thirteen  years  of  lavish 
expenditure,  the  visions  of  fabulous  wealth  began  to  fade 
and  the  Company  of  the  West  was  compelled  to  surrender 
its  charter  to  the  king.  This  incident  in  the  history  of  Illi- 
nois has  become  known  as  the  “Mississippi  Bubble.” 

How  the  Wealth  of  the  Country  Was  Used.  In  the 
meantime  the  farms  of  the  region  were  found  to  be  real 
mines  of  wealth,  and  the  lead  of  the  mines  in  Missouri 
was  used  for  making  bullets,  which  soon  came  to  be  needed. 

In  1750  there  were  1,100  white  inhabitants  in  the  five  vil- 
lages near  Kaskaskia,  besides  300  black  slaves  and  many 
friendly  Indians  of  the  Illinois  tribe.  The  farms  of  the 
country  were  so  rich  in  grains  that  great  quantities  of  sup- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


241 


plies  were  sent  each  year  to  Martinique  and  San  Domingo ; 
so  that  the  country  was  called  the  “granary  of  the  French 
West  Indies.” 

And  now,  in  1754,  came  the  war  between  England  and 
France,  known  in  history  as  the  French  and  Indian  War. 
At  the  very  outset  Illinois  was  in  the  lead,  for  not  only 
did  young  Neyon  de  Villiers  and  his  brother  lead  a company 
of  French  troops  and  allies  from  Fort  Chartres  to  defeat 
George  Washington  at  Fort  Necessity,  but  the  Illinois  coun- 
try continued  for  six  years  to  supply  food,  lead,  and  sol- 
diers for  what  was  to  them  a war  between  Illinois  and  Vir- 
ginia, though  England,  of  course,  sustained  her  colony  of 
Virginia. 

Three  times  did  expeditions  set  out  from  Fort  Chartres 
before  the  war  was  ended,  and  scores  of  vessels  loaded  with 
supplies  for  the  soldiers  in  eastern  and  northern  forts  of  the 
French.  Supplies  were  also  sent  to  the  forts  on  the  Wabash 
and  the  lower  Mississippi.  Had  the  center  of  British  activi- 
ties been  in  Louisiana  instead  of  Canada  and  Virginia,  the 
outcome  might  have  been  different,  for  there  was  no  weak- 
ness of  any  kind  in  the  West  and  South,  and  the  resources 
were  almost  unlimited. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  the  French  abandoned  Fort 
Chartres,  crossed  the  river  just  above  Cahokia,  and  set- 
tled at  St.  Louis,  where  Pierre  LaClede  and  Pierre  Chou- 
teau had  already  established  a trading-post. 

The  Conspiracy  of  Pontiac.  The  French  in  the  Illi- 
nois country  accepted  the  dictum  of  the  king  with  sad  hearts 
and  ceased  hostilities  toward  the  British,  but  many  of  the 


242« 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Indians  were  reluctant  to  place  themselves  under  British 
rule.  Chief  among  these  was  the  intrepid  and  valiant 
Pontiac,  chief  of  the  Ottawas,  who  journeyed  throughout 
the  whole  domain  of  the  French  from  Lake  Champlain  to 
Lake  Superior  and  New  Orleans,  and  by  his  earnestness 
and  eloquence  bound  all  the  Algonquin  tribes,  with  the 
Natchez,  Shawanoes,  and  Senecas,  to  unite  in  defending 
their  country  against  the  British  intruder.  In  six  months 
he  had  recaptured  all  the  old  French  forts  except  Niagara, 
Pitt,  and  Detroit,  but  could  not  hold  them  long,  and  re- 
treated to  Fort  Chartres  before  it  had  been  occupied  by  the 
British.  Here  he  refused  three  times  to  listen  to  terms  of 
peace,  and  for  two  years  was  supreme  in  the  Illinois  coun- 
try. At  last  the  French  persuaded  him  that  it  was  useless 
for  him  to  hold  out  longer,  and  he  consented  to  negotiate 
for  peace.  In  doing  this,  he  secured  for  his  people  the 
whole  territory  west  of  the  Alleghenies,  including  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  upper  St.  Lawrence  valleys.  Thus  the  Indians 
were  granted  a home  in  their  own  right,  and  became  at 
once  the  friends  and  allies  of  Great  Britain,  possessing  mu- 
tual interests  in  the  country  as  a whole.  It  is  but  natural, 
therefore,  that  they  should  stand  by  the  British  when  the 
colonists  found  themselves  at  war  with  the  mother  country, 
and  later,  when  they  encroached  so  persistently  upon  the 
territory  which  had  been  ceded  to  them  by  the  treaty  ef- 
fected by  Pontiac. 

Colonel  George  Rogers  Clark.  This  treaty  with  Pon- 
tiac threw  out  the  claim  of  Virginia  to  any  Illinois  terri- 
tory, and  was  one  of  the  first  causes  of  provocation  which 
the  colonists  had  against  Great  Britain.  The  ambitious 


THE  HISTOEY  OF  ILLINOIS 


243 


Yankee  was  not  to  be  thus  curbed  in  his  desire  to  extend 
his  domain  into  the  Great  West.  Although  the  king  had 
proclaimed  that  no  more  settlements  were  to  be  made  west 
of  the  Alleghenies,  his  proclamation  was  wholly  disre- 
garded; within  three  years  three  important  settlements  had 
been  made,  among  them  one  at  Harrodsburg,  Kentucky,  un- 
der the  leadership  of  George  Rogers  Clark.  He,  with  other 
independent  spirits,  was  jealous  of  the  rights  of  the  colo- 
nists, and  determined  to  maintain  them  even  in  the  face  of 
war. 

After  the  opening  of  the  war,  Colonel  Clark  organized 
Kentucky  into  a county  of  Virginia  and  formed  a plan  to 
retake  the  lost  stations  of  Kaskaskia  and  Vincennes.  Pat- 
rick Henry,  Governor  of  Virginia,  gave  him  a commission 
to  command  an  expedition  for  this  purpose.  In  the  spring 
of  1778,  Clark  effected  a long  and  hazardous  march  across 
the  country  from  the  Ohio  River  near  the  present  site  of 
Louisville  to  Kaskaskia,  with  upward  of  one  hundred  volun- 
teers. Fort  Chartres  had  been  destroyed  six  years  before 
by  a flood  in  the  Mississippi  River,  and  the  British  garrison 
had  built  Fort  Gage  on  the  borders  of  Kaskaskia.  This 
Clark  found  no  trouble  to  capture,  and  at  once  all  the  French 
were  his  friends,  choosing  to  sympathize  with  the  Virgin- 
ians rather  than  with  their  old  enemy,  whom  they  never  re- 
garded as  their  conqueror,  though  they  had  been  compelled 
by  their  king  to  surrender  their  forts  to  him.  It  was  known 
that  their  own  nation  was  in  full  sympathy ' with  the  colo- 
nists. 

Colonel  Clark  next  marched  his  men  across  the  state  and 
captured  Fort  Vincennes,  on  the  Wabash,  which  gave  the 


244 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


whole  Northwest  Territory  to  the  colonies.  The  Virginia- 
assembly  named  the  country  the  Territory  of  Illinois. 

The  Ordinance  of  1787.  And  now  came  a new  form 
of  government  for  the  French  in  Illinois.  By  an  act  of 
the  Virginia  legislature,  all  of  that  state  lying  west  of  the 
Alleghenies — including  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin, 
and  Michigan — was  organized  into  the  County  of  Illinois, 
with  Ivaskaskia  as  its  capital. 

In  1787  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  River  was 
formed  into  the  Northwest  Territory  at  the  last  session  of 
the  Continental  Congress,  while  the  national  Constitutional 
Convention  was  in  session  at  Philadelphia.  This  act  was  the 
celebrated  Ordinance  of  1787,  “the  most  notable  law  ever 
enacted  by  representatives  of  the  American  people.”  The 
terms  of  this  ordinance  were  favorable  to  the  rapid  settle- 
ment  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  and  in  a year  or  two  some 
of  the  most  important  cities  in  Ohio  were  founded. 

Arthur  St.  Clair  was  the  first  governor  of  the  Northwest 
Territory,  with  his  seat  of  government  at  Marietta,  on  the 
Ohio  River.  In  February,  1791,  under  orders  from  Presi- 
dent Washington,  he  came  to  Ivaskaskia  to  organize  a local 
government  and  distribute  the  lands  to  their  rightful  own- 
ers. St.  Clair  County  thus  became  the  first  organized  county 
in  the  state,  and  Cahokia  the  first  county  seat. 

But  the  Indians,  encouraged  by  the  British  at  the  old 
French  forts,  harassed  the  new  settlers,  and  for  six  or 
eight  years  seriously  checked  the  impulse  for  emigration 
which  had  at  first  been  felt  through  all  the  East.  General 
Anthony  Wayne  met  their  combined  forces  at  Fort  Meigs, 
in  Ohio,  and  defeated  them  in  a great  battle  August  20, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


245 


1794.  In  the  treaty  which  was  signed  a year  later  the  Pot- 
tawattomies  ceded  to  the  general  government  “one  piece 
of  land  six  miles  square  at  the  mouth  of  Chicago  River, 
emptying  into  Lake  Michigan,  where  a fort  formerly  stood,” 
the  old  fort  which  had  been  built  by  Tonty  in  1685. 

In  1803,  the  United  States  purchased  Louisiana  from 
France  for  $15,000,000  and  ordered  a fort  constructed  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Chicago  River.  This  was  the  birth  of 
Fort  Dearborn  and  the  great  city  of  Chicago. 

The  War  of  1812.  In  June,  1812,  the  United  States 
declared  war  with  Great  Britain.  The  first  territorial  legis- 
lature of  Illinois  met  at  Kaskaskia  the  same  year.  The 
whole  region  was  at  that  time  under  the  sway  of  hostile 
Indians,  many  of  whom  had  gone  to  Canada  temporarily  to 
help  the  British.  Ninian  Edwards  was  governor  of  the 
territory,  and  under  his  direction  about  twelve  hundred  vol- 
unteers marched  from  the  southern  portion  of  the  state  into 
the  northern,  where  the  Indians  were  practically  the  sole 
occupants.  On  the  shore  of  Peoria  Lake  they  built  Fort 
Clark,  but  the  absence  of  the  Indians  prevented  an  encoun- 
ter. 

In  the  treaty  of  peace  made  at  the  close  of  the  war,  the 
Pottawattomies  made  a second  cession  of  land  to  the  United 
States,  which  proved  to  be  a most  valuable  property.  This 
was  the  strip  of  land  designed  and  later  used  for  the  Illinois 
and  Michigan  Canal. 

Statehood.  The  Territory  of  Illinois  was  organized  in 
1809,  and  Ninian  Edwards  was  appointed  its  first  gov- 
ernor. 

The  people  clamored  for  admission  into  the  Union  as  a 


246 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


state,  but  by  the  ordinance  of  1787  a population  of  60,000 
was  necessary.  Congress,  therefore,  passed  an  “enabling 
act”  reducing  the  requirement  to  40,000,  and  a questionable 
census  reported  the  required  number. 

In  the  bill  admitting  Illinois  as  a state  it  was  provided 
that  three-fifths  of  the  five-per-cent  fund  from  the  sale  of 
public  lands  should  be  devoted  to  “the  encouragement  of 
education,”  and  that  one-sixth  of  this  sum  should  be  used 
exclusively  for  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  a 
university  or  college.  It  was  also  provided  that  the  north- 
ern boundary  of  the  state  should  be  extended  to  the  parallel 
of  forty-two  degrees  and  thirty  minutes,  north  latitude, 
which  was  fifty-one  miles  north  of  the  line  indicated  by  the 
ordinance  of  1787.  This  placed  the  site  of  Chicago  in  Illi- 
nois instead  of  Wisconsin. 

In  July,  1818,  thirty-three  delegates  met  in  Kaskaskia  to 
draft  a state  constitution.  The  convention  adjourned  Au- 
gust 26th,  and  on  December  3d  of  the  same  year  Illinois 
became  the  eighth  state  added  to  the  original  thirteen. 

A new  constitution  was  adopted  in  1848,  and  a third  in 
1870. 

Slavery  in  Illinois.  The  first  slaves  in  Illinois  were 
five  hundred  natives  of  San  Domingo  brought  to  Fort 
Chartres  in  1751  by  Philip  Renault  to  work  in  the  gold  and 
silver  mines  which  the  Company  of  the  West  expected  to 
open.  As  no  gold  or  silver  was  found,  there  were  no  mines 
to  work,  and  the  slaves  were  sold  to  the  French  settlers. 

But  slavery  never  flourished  in  Illinois.  The  ordinance 
of  1787  prohibited  slavery  in  the  Northwest  Territory,  and 
in  1818  Illinois  was  admitted  as  a free  state.  In  1822  a 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


247 


majority  of  the  legislature  favored  slavery,  and  a resolu- 
tion was  adopted  submitting  to  a vote  of  the  people  the 
question  whether  Illinois  should  be  a slave  state  or  not, 
hoping  to  secure  an  amendment  to  the  constitution.  This 
led  to  a most  bitter  and  exciting  political  contest.  Governor 
Coles  contributed  his  entire  salary  of  $4,000  as  a campaign 
fund.  The  anti-slavery  party  won  by  1,800  majority. 

The  Murder  of  Lovejoy.  Elijah  P.  Lovejoy,  editor  of 
a religious  paper  published  in  St.  Louis,  fearlessly  attacked 
the  institution  of  slavery  in  the  columns  of  his  paper.  His 
office  was  assaulted  by  a mob  and  completely  destroyed. 
He  then  moved  to  Alton,  in  a free  state,  and  attempted  to 
reestablish  his  paper,  but  mobs  destroyed  his  press  twice. 
A fourth  press  was  purchased  by  his  friends.  It  arrived 
on  the  night  of  November  7,  1837.  The  next  night  a 
drunken  mob  attacked  the  warehouse  where  it  was  stored. 
In  the  building  were  Mr.  Lovejoy  and  a few  friends,  who 
had  armed  themselves  to  defend  the  property.  The  mob  set 
fire  to  the  building  and  shot  the  men  within.  This  event 
created  great  excitement  throughout  the  state. 

Our  State  Capitals.  The  first  capital  of  Illinois  was 
Kaskaskia,  chosen  in  1809,  when  the  Territory  of  Illinois 
was  separated  from  that  of  Indiana. 

The  second  was  at  Vandalia.  The  temporary  statehouse 
was  occupied  first  in  December,  1820.  In  1837  the  capital 
was  removed  to  Springfield  and  a new  statehouse  was  built 
at  an  expense  of  $200,000.  In  1868  the  cornerstone  was 
laid  for  the  present  magnificent  building,  which  cost  $4,- 
260,000. 

Nauvoo  and  the  Mormons.  The  Mormons  came  from 


248 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Missouri  to  Illinois  in  the  winter  of  1838-39  and  settled 
in  Hancock  County,  calling  their  village  Nauvoo.  But  the 
sect  became  unpopular  in  Illinois,  as  they  had  been  in  Mis- 
souri, and  the  people  threatened  such  violence  against  the 
leaders,  Joseph  Smith  and  his  brother  Idyram,  that  the  two 
men  placed  themselves  in  charge  of  the  sheriff.  On  June 
27,  1844,  they  were  assassinated  at  the  hands  of  a mob. 
Then  followed  dissensions  among  the  Mormons  themselves, 
and  in  1846  most  of  them  migrated  to  Salt  Lake,  Utah,  un- 
der the  leadership  of  Brigham  Young.  But  many  dissenters 
separated  from  the  main  body  and  in  1860  chose  Joseph 
Smith,  a son  of  the  founder  of  Mormonism,  to  be  their 
president,  and  settled  at  Lamoni,  Iowa. 

The  Black  Hawk  War.  The  provocation  for  the  so- 
called  Black  Hawk  War  began  in  1813,  when  a friend  of 
the  Indian  chief  Black  Hawk  was  assaulted  and  beaten  by 
some  white  men.  He  then  set  about  avenging  his  friend, 
and  became  a cause  of  terror  throughout  the  whole  region 
of  Illinois.  In  1823  he  received  a severe  physical  punish- 
ment from  some  white  men,  which  only  made  him  the  more 
vindictive.  He  refused  to  conform  to  the  terms  of  a treaty 
signed  at  St.  Louis,  November  3,  1804,  by  which  the  Sac's 
were  to  move  beyond  the  Mississippi,  and  held  a band  of 
380  of  his  followers  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rock  River,  where 
the  city  of  Rock  Island  now  is.  In  the  war  of  1812  he 
sided  with  the  British,  and  remained  in  a hostile  mood. 
During  the  absence  of  Black  Hawk’s  people  on  a winter 
hunt  in  1831,  some  white  men  took  possession  of  their  lands. 
A contest  ensued,  and  certain  terms  of  peace  were  agreed 
to,  but  they  amounted  only  to  a truce,  and  sucff  ascare-was 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


249 


stirred  up  throughout  the  state  that  the  governor  sent  a troop 
of  600  volunteers  to  Fort  Armstrong,  on  Rock  Island,  near 
the  Indian  village,  under  command  of  General  Gaines,  who 
compelled  the  Sacs  to  retire  beyond  the  Mississippi,  as  they 
had  originally  promised  to  do.  But  Black  Hawk  secretly 
returned  and  besought  the  Winnebagoes  and  Pottawattomies 
to  join  him  in  an  attempt  to  recover  his  lands.  Instead  of 
doing  this,  the  Winnebagoes  offered  Black  Hawk  the  privi- 
lege of  raising  corn  in  their  territory.  Accordingly  Black 
Hawk  and  his  braves,  with  their  women,  children,  and  old 
men,  disregarding  their  treaty,  recrossed  the  river  and 
created  terror  in  the  hearts  of  all  the  people  of  northern  Illi- 
nois. Governor  Reynolds  called  out  1,800  volunteers,  and 
among  those  who  responded  was  Abraham  Lincoln,  then 
twenty-three  years  of  age. 

It  was  not  Black  Hawk’s  intention  to  fight,  but  his  flag 
of  truce  was  criminally  violated  and  he  flew  into  a rage  and 
rallied  as  many  supporters  as  possible  to  murder  and  pillage 
until  victory  should  be  won.  No  pitched  battle  was  fought, 
but  many  whites  were  massacred,  the  chief  loss  of  life  oc- 
curring at  Indian  Creek,  near  the  present  site  of  Ottawa. 
The  Indians  at  last  fled  from  the  country,  their  numbers 
much  reduced,  and  history  cannot  fail  to  lay  the  blame  for 
all  the  loss  of  life  and  property  to  the  unfair  and  heartless 
treatment  of  the  Indians  by  the  powers  of  the  state. 

The  Mexican  War.  In  1845  President  Polk  called  for 
volunteers  to  enter  the  war  against  Mexico.  Illinois’s  quota 
was  three  regiments,  but  six  were  furnished,  a total  of 
6,315  men,  and  more  were  ready  to  go  but  were  not  ac- 
cepted. The  first  and  second  regiments  joined  the  forces 


250 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


of  General  Taylor  in  August,  1846.  At  Buena  Vista  they 
met  the  enemy  20,000  strong,  under  the  command  of  the 
celebrated  Santa  Anna.  The  battle  raged  all  day,  and  at 
night  the  Mexicans  fled. 

This  was  a fierce  and  stubborn  battle,  and  many  brave 
men  from  Illinois  gave  up  their  lives,  among  them  gallant 
Colonel  Hardin. 

The  third  and  fourth  regiments  were  joined  to  the  troops 
of  General  Scott  and  took  part  in  the  storming  of  Vera 
Cruz.  After  the  fall  of  Vera  Cruz,  they  marched  to  the 
City  of  Mexico,  and  distinguished  themselves  at  the  battle 
of  Cerro  Gordo  by  repeated  charges  upon  the  enemy’s  lines. 

The  other  regiments  were  held  back  and  did  not  have 
an  opportunity  of  showing  their  valor  on  the  field  of  battle. 
The  war  ended  with  the  fall  of  the  City  of  Mexico. 

Illinois  in  the  Civil  War.  The  state  of  Illinois  fur- 
nished 260,000  men  for  the  great  Civil  War.  Only  New 
York,  Pennsylvania,  and  Ohio  furnished  a larger  number. 
Only  Kansas  furnished  a larger  number  in  proportion  to 
her  population. 

General  U.  S.  Grant  was  a citizen  of  Galena  when  he 
first  entered  the  army  as  a volunteer. 

Other  illustrious  generals  from  Illinois  were  President 
C.  E.  Hovey,  of  the  State  Normal  University;  John  A. 
Logan,  John  A.  McClernand,  Richard  Oglesby,  John  M. 
Palmer,  John  A.  Rawlins,  John  Pope,  and  many  more. 

Illinois  troops  were  engaged  in  battles  in  all  parts  of  the 
great  battlefield,  and  everywhere  became  known  for  their 
bravery  and  excellent  discipline,  the  nineteenth  regiment 
especially,  which  enrolled  1,500  men  and  lost  1,000. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


251 


At  the  outbreak  of  the  war  in  1860  Chicago  had  a popu- 
lation of  only  a little  more  than  100,000.  The  President 
called  on  Illinois  for  six  regiments.  Elmer  Ellsworth  had 
been  a captain  of  zouaves  in  Chicago  and  various  other 
cities  of  the  country,  had  studied  law  with  Abraham  Lin- 
coln  in  Springfield,  and  had  acted  as  one  of  Lincoln’s  body- 
guard on  his  inaugural  trip  to  Washington.  At  the  out- 
break of  the  war  he  went  to  New  York  and  organized  a 
company  of  zouaves  and  was  the  first  Union  man  to  fall  in 
the  war. 

Camp  Douglas  was  opened  in  Chicago  as  a rendezvous 
for  recruits  in  1861.  It  was  located  on  what  was  then  open 
prairie,  west  of  Cottage  Grove  Avenue,  between  Thirty- 
first  and  Thirty-third  Streets.  Douglas  Square,  the  Douglas 
monument,  and  the  grave  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas  are  a little 
south  of  the  old  camp.  After  recruiting  was  over,  the  gov- 
ernment used  the  camp  for  holding  prisoners  of  war.  Six 
thousand  Confederate  soldiers  died  in  that  camp. 

The  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  In  1850  Congress 
granted  to  Illinois  2,595,000  acres  of  land  for  a right  of  way 
for  a railroad.  In  1852  the  state  chartered  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  and  conveyed  all  these  lands  to  the  rail- 
road company  to  aid  in  constructing  its  line  of  road.  The 
company  agreed  to  build  seven  hundred  miles  of  road  in 
Illinois,  the  main  line  from  Cairo  to  LaSalle,  and  from 
that  point  branches  to  Chicago  and  Galena. 

The  first  train  entered  Chicago  in  1855.  The  city  and 
legislature  had  granted  a right  of  way  about  three  hundred 
feet  wide,  but  it  was  provided  that  the  track  should  be  at 
least  four  hundred  feet  from  Michigan  Avenue,  and  for 


252 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


that  reason  the  track  was  laid  on  piles  a part  of  the  way. 
The  station  was  at  the  foot  of  Randolph  Street,  but  was 
burned  in  the  great  fire  and  never  rebuilt.  In  1893  the 
present  station  at  Park  Row  was  constructed.  The  ruins 
of  the  old  station  were  not  wholly  cleared  away  for  nearly 
twenty  years. 

In  return  for  its  grant  of  land,  the  railroad  company 
agreed  to  pay  the  state  annually  seven  per  cent,  of  its  gross 
earnings  in  place  of  the  usual  taxes. 

The  first  railroad  in  Illinois  was  “The  Great  Northern 
Cross,”  begun  May  9,  1838,  at  Meredosia.  This  was  only 
ten  years  after  the  building  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad,  the  first  one  in  the  United  States.  This  road  was 
completed  to  Jacksonville  at  an  expense  of  $1,000,000,  but 
was  sold  at  auction  for  $21,100. 

Lincoln  in  Illinois.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1830  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  and  his  parents  came  into  Illinois  as  immi- 
grants from  Indiana,  Lincoln  being  then  twenty-one  years 
old.  The  family  settled  on  the  Sangamon  River,  about  ten 
miles  south  of  Decatur. 

Young  Lincoln  needed  new  clothes,  and,  being  without 
money,  he  made  a bargain  with  a woman  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, agreeing  to  split  four  hundred  rails  for  every  yard  of 
cloth  she  used  in  making  him  a pair  of  trousers.  He  had 
to  split  fourteen  hundred  rails  for  his  trousers. 

Setting  out  to  make  an  independent  living,  he  became  a 
clerk  in  a store  at  New  Salem.  He  was  captain  of  a com- 
pany in  the  Black  Hawk  War.  After  the  close  of  the  war 
he  became  postmaster.  He  was  chosen  to  represent  the 
people  of  his  district  in  the  state  legislature.  In  1837  he 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


253 


settled  at  Springfield  and  took  np  the  practice  of  law.  In 
1846  he  was  elected  to  Congress.  During  this  year,  in  com- 
pany with  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  he  made  a tour  of  the  state 
debating  the  subject  of  slavery  in  the  territory  obtained 
from  Mexico. 

Lincoln  was  nominated  for  President  of  the  United  States 
at  a convention  of  the  Republican  party  held  in  Chicago  in 
1860.  His  election  precipitated  the  Civil  War. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  ILLINOIS 


The  State  and  the  Nation.  The  state  is  a part  of  the 
nation.  The  nation  is  made  up  of  the  states.  Let  all  the 
states  secede  from  the  nation  and  it  would  cease  to  exist, 
for  the  strictly  national  territory  would  not  afford  a sup- 
port for  the  national  government. 

The  state  is,  therefore,  a nation  by  itself,  though,  for  the 
general  good  of  all,  the  national  constitution  is  accepted  by 
the  people  of  all  the  states  as  the  highest  authority  in  all 
matters  not  purely  local  in  their  nature.  This  is  called  “the 
supreme  law  of  the  land.”  In  return,  each  state  has  its 
representatives  in  Congress ; each  state  is  protected  by  the 
federal  government  if  its  existence  is  threatened  by  insur- 
rection or  foreign  attack ; and  any  state  may  call  upon  the 
federal  government  for  military  assistance  in  suppressing 
mobs  or  whenever  in  distress  of  any  kind.  Sometimes  the 
federal  government  has  assisted  the  states  when  in  financial 
distress,  by  distributing  large  sums  of  money  or  assuming 
state  indebtedness. 

The  national  government  has  also  distributed  about  162,- 
000,000  acres  of  public  land,  worth  perhaps  a billion  dol- 
lars, and  state  experiment  stations  and  agricultural  colleges 
have  been  established  and  are  largely  supported  by  the  na- 
tional government.  The  appropriations  made  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  such  institutions  amount  to  about  $2,000,000 
a year. 


254 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  ILLINOIS 


255 


THE  LEGISLATIVE  DEPARTMENT 

The  State  Legislature.  It  is  in  the  state  legislature 
(technically  styled  the  General  Assembly)  that  the  people 
of  the  state  find  their  power  to  control  themselves.  The 
legislature  represents  the  highest  powers  of  government  in 
the  state.  It  may  make  any  laws  for  the  government  of  the 
people  which  are  not  in  conflict  with  the  federal  or  state 
constitution.  And  it  is  the  direct  vote  of  the  people  that 
places  men  in  the  legislature.  For  members  of  the  legis- 
lature men  are  chosen  by  the  voters  among  whom  they  live; 
so  that  the  interests  and  opinions  of  every  section  of  the 
state  are  directly  represented  by  the  people’s  chosen  repre- 
sentatives. 

The  legislature  meets  once  in  two  years  at  Springfield,  in 
the  state  capitol.  It  is  composed  of  two  bodies,  one  called 
the  House  of  Representatives  and  the  other  the  Senate. 
Each  body  has  a separate  room  for  its  meetings.  There  are 
fifty-one  senatorial  districts  in  the  state,  and  each  district 
is  entitled  to  one  senator  (elected  for  four  years)  and  three 
representatives  (elected  for  two  years)  in  the  General  As- 
sembly. 

In  the  Senate,  the  Lieutenant  Governor  acts  as  presiding 
officer ; in  the  House,  a “speaker”  presides  who  is  chosen  bv 
vote  of  the  members. 

Standing  Committees.  For  carrying  on  the  business  of 
legislation  most  expeditiously,  various  committees  are  ap- 
pointed by  the  speaker,  known  as  standing  committees,  and 
besides  these  there  is  a coterie  of  party  leaders,  recognized 


256 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


as  such  without  official  action,  who  are  known  as  a “steer- 
ing committee.”  No  other  member  of  the  House  has  so 
much  power  as  the  speaker.  He  may  prevent  any  member 
from  addressing  the  House,  and  by  virtue  of  his  office  is  an 
influential  member  of  the  steering  committee. 

How  a Bill  Becomes  Law.  While  in  session,  the  legis- 
lature meets  every  week-day.  A set  of  rules  is  adopted 
which  are  intended  to  protect  the  legislature  against  hasty 
action  in  making  laws.  Any  bill,  in  order  to  become  a law, 
must  be  passed  by  both  houses.  If  they  cannot  agree,  a 
conference  committee  is  appointed  by  each  house,  which 
seeks  to  unite  the  views  of  both  houses  into  one  bill.  Any 
member  of  either  body  may  introduce  a bill,  thus  giving  the 
greatest  liberty  to  all  the  people  in  initiating,  if  not  deter- 
mining, any  desired  legislation.  Frequently  bills  originate 
with  some  local  society  in  the  state,  and  are  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  representative  from  that  locality,  to  be  pre- 
sented to  the  legislature.  The  Governor  sometimes  recom- 
mends measures  on  his  own  account,  or  at  the  request  of 
citizens,  by  embodying  them  in  his  message  to  the  legisla^ 
ture. 

All  bills  are  referred  to  committees  before  they  are  enacted 
into  laws,  and  the  committees  carefully  study  their  word- 
ing as  well  as  their  constitutionality.  Only  a small  portion 
of  the  bills  so  referred  are  ever  heard  from  again. 

The  process  of  exchanging  favorable  votes  on  different 
measures  which  might  not  otherwise  secure  a majority  vote 
is  called  “log-rolling.”  One  member  agrees  to  vote  for  an-? 
other  member’s  bill  if  he  in  turn  will  vote  for  the  first  mem- 
ber’s bill. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  ILLINOIS 


25? 


One  of  the  important  duties  of  the  General  Assembly  is 
to  elected  United  States  senators. 

The  Governor’s  Veto.  If  a bill  passes  both  houses,  it 
then  awaits  the  Governor’s  signature  before  it  becomes  a 
law.  If  it  is  not  approved  by  the  Governor,  he  may  return 
it  without  his  signature,  giving  his  reasons  therefor.  If 
he  does  not  wish  to  express  either  his  approval  or  disap- 
proval, he  may  let  the  bill  lie  for  ten  days,  when  it  becomes 
a law  without  his  signature. 

If  the  Governor  vetoes  a bill,  it  may  then  become  a law 
by  a two-thirds  vote  of  each  house.  The  veto  power  is 
important,  though  it  throws  a great  responsibility  on  the 
Governor.  Often  bills  are  hastily  passed  which  cannot 
secure  even  a majority  vote  after  a veto. 

THE  EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT 

The  Executive  Department  of  the  state  comprises  the 
Governor,  the  Lieutenant  Governor,  the  Secretary  of  State, 
the  Auditor  of  Public  Accounts,  the  Treasurer,  the  Super- 
intendent of  Public  Instruction,  and  the  Attorney  General. 

The  Governor.  The  Governor’s  duties  are  not  con- 
fined wholly  to  administering  the  government  of  his  own 
state.  As  chief  executive  of  the  state,  he  stands  very  near 
to  the  government  of  the  nation,  since  every  state  is  a part 
of  the  nation,  and  the  Governor  is  the  representative  of 
his  state.  There  is  also  a community  of  interests  among 
states,  and  he  is  often  called  upon  to  act  or  speak  for  the 
state  in  its  dealings  with  other  states. 

Among  his  chief  administrative  duties  are  the  appointing" 
of  many  subordinate  officers  and  heads  of  departments  and 


258 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


state  institutions.  The  Governor  has  the  power  of  pardon- 
ing any  person  convicted  of  an  offense  against  the  state, 
and  may  make  requisitions  upon  governors  of  other  states 
for  the  return  of  fugitives  from  justice  and  may  offer 
rewards  for  the  arrest  of  offenders  against  the  laws  of  the 
siate. 

Besides  performing  the  regular  administrative  duties  of 
the  office,  the  Governor  is  expected  to  represent  the  state 
on  the  occasion  of  great  celebrations,  public  meetings, 
funerals  of  distinguished  men,  public  exercises  of  state  in- 
stitutions, state  and  county  fairs,  etc. 

As  commander-in-chief  of  the  military  forces  of  the  state, 
he  may  call  out  the  militia  whenever  he  considers  it  neces- 
sary to  maintain  order  or  suppress  a riot  in  any  part  of  the 
state. 

The  Lieutenant  Governor.  In  case  the  Governor  is 
absent  from  the  state,  the  Lieutenant-Governor  acts  in  his 
stead ; and  if  the  Governor  dies  in  office,  he  is  succeeded  by 
the  Lieutenant  Governor  until  the  end  of  the  term.  He  acts 
as  president  of  the  Senate  ex-officio. 

The  Secretary  of  State  acts  as  his  title  implies.  In 
an  organized  society  the  secretary  has  generally  certain 
prescribed  duties,  and  the  Secretary  of  State  performs  simi- 
lar duties  for  the  state  as  an  organization.  He  keeps  in  his 
possession  all  original  laws  and  resolutions  passed  by  the 
General  Assembly,  which  is  the  working-session  of  the  or- 
ganized state.  He  supervises  the  printing  and  distribu- 
tion of  all  public  documents  of  the  state. 

Lie  issues  licenses  for  corporations,  and  certificates  of 
organization  to  cities,  villages,  and  incorporated  towns.  He 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  ILLINOIS 


259 


has  charge  of  most  of  the  buildings  and  grounds  in  Spring- 
field  which  belong  to  the  state. 

The  Printer  Expert.  As  an  aid  to  the  Secretary  of 
State  in  accomplishing  the  great  amount  of  printing  re- 
quired by  the  state,  the  Governor  appoints  a Printer  Ex- 
pert, generally  called  State  Printer,  who  not  only  supervises 
the  work  done,  but  prepares  specifications  for  bids,  and 
examines  all  printing  accounts. 

The  State  Auditor  is  the  state’s  bookkeeper.  He  au- 
dits accounts  of  all  persons  authorized  to  draw  money  from 
the  state  treasury.  He  brings  suit  against  persons  in  be- 
half of  the  state.  With  the  Governor  and  the  Treasurer 
he  determines  the  state  tax  rate.  He  exercises  a general 
supervision  over  the  state  banks,  and  over  building,  loan, 
and  homestead  associations. 

The  State  Treasurer  is  the  custodian  of  the  funds  be- 
longing to  the  state. 

The  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  has  super- 
vision over  all  public  schools  of  the  state ; advises  county 
superintendents  of  schools ; grants  state  certificates  to 
teachers;  visits  charitable  institutions  of  an  educational 
character,  and  reports  biennially  to  the  Governor. 

The  Attorney  General  represents  the  state  in  the  Su- 
preme Court,  and  acts  as  counsel  for  the  Governor  and  all 
state  officials  in  matters  relating  to  their  official  duties. 

QUALIFICATIONS  FOR  VOTING 

According  to  the  Fourteenth  Amendment  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States,  “all  persons  born  or  natu- 
ralized in  the  United  States,  and  subject  to  the  jurisdiction 


260 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


thereof,  are  citizens  of  the  United  States  and  of  the  state 
wherein  they  reside.” 

The  voter  must  be  a male  citizen,  at  least  twenty-one 
years  of  age  on  the  day  before  election;  must  have  lived  in 
the  same  state  for  one  year,  in  the  same  county  for  ninety 
days,  and  in  the  same  precinct  for  thirty  days  preceding 
the  day  of  election.  All  voting  must  be  done  by  ballot. 

In  the  State  of  Illinois  persons  who  have  been  convicted 
of  bribery,  felony,  or  other  infamous  crime,  and  have  not 
been  officially  pardoned,  are  not  entitled  to  vote.  An  idiot 
is  not  entitled  to  vote,  nor  an  alien  who  has  not  taken  out 
naturalization  papers,  nor  a pauper  in  a public  institution. 

No  person  may  vote  except  in  the  precinct  where  he 
resides. 

Section  83  of  the  Constitution  of  Illinois  is  as  follows : — • 

Any  person  who  shall  solicit,  request,  demand,  or  receive,  directly 
or  indirectly,  any  money,  intoxicating  liquor,  or  other  thing  of 
value,  or  the  promise  thereof,  either  to  influence  his  vote,  or  to  be 
used  to  procure  the  vote  of  any  other  person  or  persons,  or  to  be 
used  at  any  poll  or  other  place  prior  to  or  on  the  day  of  an  election, 
for  or  against  any  candidate  for  office,  or  for  or  against  any  meas- 
ure or  question  to  be  voted  upon  at  such  election,  shall  be  guilty  of 
the  infamous  crime  of  bribery  in  elections,  and  upon  conviction 
thereof  shall  be  sentenced  to  disfranchisement  for  a term  of  not 
less  than  five  nor  more  than  fifteen  years,  and  to  the  county  jail 
not  less  than  three  months  nor  more  than  one  year,  and  to  pay  the 
cost  of  prosecution  and  stand  committed  to  the  county  jail  until 
such  costs  shall  be  fully  paid.  For  conviction  of  a second  offense 
under  this  section,  such  offender  shall  be  forever  disfranchised  and 
deprived  of  the  right  to  vote  in  this  state. 

Section  70  also  provides  as  follows : — 

No  person  who  has  been  legally  convicted  of  any  crime  the 
punishment  of  which  is  confinement  in  the  penitentiary,  Or  who 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  ILLINOIS 


261 


shall  be  convicted  and  sentenced  under  Section  83  of  this  Act,  shall 
be  permitted  to  vote  at  any  election  unless  he  shall  be  restored  to 
the  right  to  vote  by  pardon,  or  by  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  his 
disfranchisement  under  Section  83  of  this  Act. 

How  a Foreigner  May  Become  a Citizen  of  the  United 
States.  The  law  says  that  “no  alien  shall  be  admitted  to 
become  a citizen  who  has  not,  for  the  continued  term  of 
five  years  next  preceding  his  admission,  resided  within 
the  United  States.” 

If  an  alien  is  over  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  first 
comes  to  this  country,  he  may  apply  for  citizenship  to  a 
circuit  court,  or  a district  court,  or  other  court  of  record, 
at  any  time  after  his  arrival,  and  obtain  his  “first  papers.” 
This  is  called  his  “declaration  of  intention.” 

Chinese,  Japanese,  and  other  Mongolians  are  not  admitted 
to  citizenship  in  this  country. 

Two  years  after  an  alien  has  declared  his  intention  to 
become  a citizen,  he  may  obtain  his  naturalization  papers  by 
taking  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  United  States  govern- 
ment, provided  he  has  been  in  the  country  five  years  and 
in  the  state  one  year,  and  can  prove  this,  on  oath,  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  court,  and  is  a man  of  good  moral  char- 
acter and  not  an  anarchist. 

If  under  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  arrives  in  this 
country,  he  may,  on  becoming  twenty-one  years  of  age,  pro- 
vided he  has  resided  in  the  country  five  years,  obtain  admis- 
sion as  a citizen  without  having  previously  declared  his 
intention  to  do  so.  In  either  case  a witness  is  necessary  to 
establish  the  proof  of  residence,  and  in  the  latter  case  the 
applicant  must  “declare  on  oath  that  for  two  years  next 


262 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


preceding  it  has  been,  bona  fide , his  intention  to  become  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States.” 

Children  who  were  under  twenty-one  years  of  age  when 
their  parents  became  naturalized  are  regarded  as  citizens  on 
becoming  of  age. 

An  American  Indian  can  acquire  citizenship  only  by  leav- 
ing his  tribe.  The  people  of  Porto  Rico  and  the  Philippines 
sustain  much  the  same  relation  to  American  citizenship  as 
the  American  Indian. 

Voters  are  called  electors  because  they  elect  their  officers 
of  government. 

No  elector  is  subject  to  arrest  while  attending  an  elec- 
tion, or  in  going  to  or  returning  from  an  election,  except 
for  treason,  felony,  or  a breach  of  the  peace. 

An  elector  cannot  be  said  to  have  lost  his  residence  in 
the  state  because  of  absence  in  the  service  of  the  state  or 
the  United  States. 

Soldiers  and  marines  of  the  United  States  do  not  acquire 
a residence  in  the  state  by  reason  of  being  stationed  therein. 

Women  May  Vote  for  School  Officers.  Any  woman, 
twenty-one  years  of  age  or  over,  meeting  all  the  require- 
ments for  a male  voter,  is  entitled  to  vote  at  any  election 
held  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  any  officer  of  schools,  and 
may  therefore  hold  office  in  school  government.  The  ballot 
offered  by  any  woman  entitled  to  vote  must  contain  no 
names  except  those  of  candidates  for  public  school  offices, 
and  must  be  deposited  in  a separate  ballot-box. 

Registration.  Voters  must  be  registered  on  one  of  two 
days  fixed  by  law  before  each  general  election,  and  no  one 
is  allowed  to  vote  who  has  not  registered  on  one  of  the  two 


Issued  by  Board  of  Election  Com- 
missioners of  the  City  of  Chicago. 
Election  Tuesday , N ovember  5, 1906. 

ISAAC  N.  POWELL,  Chief  Clerk 
Board  of  Election  Commissioners. 


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THE  GOVEENMENT  OF  ILLINOIS 


263 


days.  The  registration  days  are  the  Saturday  immediately 
preceding  the  Tuesday  four  weeks  before  the  election,  and 
the  Tuesday  just  three  weeks  before  the  election.  This 
registration  is  not  necessary  oftener  than  once  in  two  years. 

The  Australian  Ballot.  The  Australian  Ballot  law  was 
enacted  in  order  to  facilitate  the  casting  of  votes  without 
interference,  in  secret,  and  with  deliberation.  In  this  ballot 
the  names  of  all  candidates  appear  on  the  same  sheet,  the 
candidates  of  each  party  being  printed  in  separate  columns. 
Formerly  the  party  emblem  was  printed  at  the  top,  so  that 
a man  who  could  not  read  might  place  his  cross  under  it 
and  thus  indicate  that  he  wished  to  cast  his  vote  for  all  the 
candidates  in  that  column.  This  emblem  is  now  omitted 
and  the  voter  places  a cross  in  the  circle  before  the  name  of 
his  party. 

Voting  Machines.  Various  attempts  have  been  made  to 
construct  a machine  to  facilitate  the  casting  of  votes  and 
insure  accuracy  in  counting  the  votes  cast,  but  their  expense 
and  liability  to  get  out  of  order  have  as  yet  prevented  their 
adoption  in  most  places. 

THE  JUDICIARY  DEPARTMENT 

The  Judiciary  Department  of  the  state  comprises  the 
Supreme  Court,  the  Appellate  Courts,  the  Circuit  Courts, 
the  Courts  of  Cook  County,  the  Municipal  Court  of  Chi- 
cago, the  County  and  Probate  Courts,  and  the  City  Courts. 

The  Supreme  Court  consists  of  seven  judges,  elected 
for  a term  of  nine  years,  one  from  each  of  the  seven  dis- 
tricts into  which  the  state  is  divided.  The  election  is  held 
in  June  of  the  year  in  which  any  term  expires. 


264  CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 

Appellate  Courts.  There  are  four  Appellate  Courts, 
one  for  each  of  the  four  districts  into  which  the  state  is 
divided. 

, The  Circuit  Courts.  There  are  seventeen  judicial  cir- 
cuits outside  of  Cook  County. 

The  state  constitution  recognizes  Cook  County  as  one 
judicial  circuit,  and  establishes  the  Circuit,  Criminal,  and 
Superior  Courts  of  that  county. 

The  Municipal  Court  of  Chicago  was  established  by 
act  of  May  18,  1905. 

Probate  Courts  are  established  in  counties  having  a 
population  of  over  70,000,  distinct  from  the  County  Courts. 
In  other  counties  the  County  Courts  have  jurisdiction  in 
all  matters  of  probate. 

City  Courts  have  concurrent  jurisdiction  with  the  Cir- 
cuit Courts  within  the  city. 

THE  INSURANCE  DEPARTMENT 

The  Insurance  Department  is  in  charge  of  the  Insurance 
Superintendent.  He  is  required  to  administer  the  state  laws 
relating  to  insurance  of  all  kinds,  and  to  enforce  compliance 
with  their  provisions.  More  than  six  hundred  companies 
are  obliged  to  make  annual  reports  to  the  Insurance  De- 
partment, and  about  37,000  agents’  licenses  are  annually 
issued  by  the  Superintendent.  The  premiums  paid  on  in- 
surance of  all  kinds  in  this  state  amounts  to  about  $70,000,- 
000  annually. 

THE  MILITARY  DEPARTMENT 

Adjutant  General.  Next  to  the  Governor,  who  is  com- 
mander-in-chief, is  the  Adjutant  General.  He  is  in  direct 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  ILLINOIS 


265 


charge  of  the  whole  military  and  naval  organization  of  the 
state.  It  is  his  duty  to  see  that  the  Military  Department 
is  at  all  times  prepared  to  respond  to  the  call  of  the  Gov- 
ernor for  aid  in  enforcing  the  laws.  He  is  appointed  by 
the  Governor. 

PUBLIC  ADMINISTRATOR 

The  Governor  appoints  one  Public  Administrator  for 
each  county,  for  a term  of  four  years,  to  administer  the 
estates  of  deceased  persons  who  have  no  relatives  or  cred- 
itors within  the  state. 

EXECUTIVE  BOARDS 

In  order  to  distribute  the  labor  and  at  the  same  time 
secure  a fair  and  impartial  conduct  of  state  affairs,  a num- 
ber of  executive  boards  have  been  organized  which  are 
generally  composed  of  men  representing  different  sections 
of  the  state.  Some  are  non-partisan  in  name,  but  most 
are  bi-partisan  in  reality. 

Among  these  boards  are  the  Railroad  Commissioners, 
the  Board  of  Health,  the  Board  of  Administration  of  the 
state  charitable  institutions,  and  many  others. 

STATE  CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS 

There  are  seventeen  state  charitable  institutions  as  fol- 
lows : — 

Asylums  for  the  insane  at  Jacksonville,  Kankakee,  Elgin, 

Anna,  Watertown,  Peoria,  and  Chester. 

Soldiers’  and  Sailors’  Home,  at  Quincy. 

Soldiers’  Widows’  Home,  at  Wilmington. 


2.66 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Soldiers’  Orphans’  Home,  at  Normal. 

St.  Charles  School  for  Boys,  at  St.  Charles. 

State  Training  School  for  Girls,  at  Geneva. 

Asylum  for  Feeble-minded  Children,  at  Lincoln. 

School  for  the  Deaf,  at  Jacksonville. 

School  for  the  Blind,  at  Jacksonville. 

Industrial  Home  for  the  Blind,  at  Chicago. 

Charitable  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,  at  Chicago. 

The  average  number  of  insane  persons  in  the  hospitals 
of  the  state  is  about  5,000. 

The  Board  of  Administration.  A very  important  act 
of  the  last  legislature  was  that  creating  a new  Board  of 
Administration  for  the  seventeen  state  charitable  institu- 
tions. This  new  board,  consisting  of  five  men,  came  into 
existence  January  1,  1910,  displacing  the  several  boards  of 
trustees  and  also  the  former  State  Board  of  Charities. 

The  Board  of  Administration  thus  has  charge  of  15,000 
wards  of  the  state,  2,200  employees,  and  property  worth 
$10,000,000;  and  must  be  responsible  for  the  expenditure 
of  over  $3,000,000  annually. 

A new  Charities  Commission  also  was  created,  whose 
duties  are  largely  those  of  visitation,  criticism,  and  recom- 
mendation. The  old  boards  of  trustees  also  become  local 
boards  for  visitation. 

This  new  system  brings  all  the  charitable  institutions 
under  one  board,  like  the  departments  of  a large  manufac- 
turing concern ; all  their  funds  are  handled  at  one  place  and 
by  the  same  treasurer,  and  all  supplies  are  furnished  from 
the  same  office. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OP  ILLINOIS 


267 


PENAL  AND  REFORMATORY  INSTITUTIONS 

State  Penitentiary,  at  Joliet. 

Southern  Penitentiary,  at  Chester. 

State  Reform  School,  at  Pontiac. 

STATE  EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS 

University  of  Illinois,  at  Champaign  and  Urbana. 

Illinois  State  Normal  University,  at  Normal. 

Northern  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  at  De  Kalb. 

Eastern  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  at  Charleston. 
Southern  Illinois  State  Normal  University,  at  Carbondale. 
Western  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  at  Macomb. 

THE  ILLINOIS  NATIONAL  GUARD 

The  complete  organization  of  the  Illinois  National  Guard 
consists  of  569  commissioned  officers ; 8,428  enlisted  men ; 
the  Commander-in-Chief,  who  is  the  governor  ex-officio ; 
Adjutant  General;  The  Division,  Chicago;  First  Brigade, 
Chicago ; Second  Brigade,  Decatur ; Third  Brigade,  Rock 
Island;  First  Infantry,  Chicago;  Second  Infantry,  Chicago; 
Third  Infantry,  Rockford;  Fourth  Infantry,  Jacksonville; 
Fifth  Infantry,  Quincy;  Sixth  Infantry,  Rock  Island; 
Seventh  Infantry,  Chicago ; Eighth  Infantry,  Chicago  ; First 
Cavalry,  Chicago ; Artillery  Battalion,  Danville ; Signal 
Corps,  Chicago ; Medical  Department,  Chicago ; Inspector 
General,  Chicago ; Inspector  of  Rifle  Practice.  Chicago , 
Judge  Advocate  General,  Chicago. 

ILLINOIS  NAVAL  RESERVE 

The  Naval  Reserve  has  its  headquarters  at  20  Michigan 
Avenue,  Chicago.  There  are  six  divisions  located  in  Chi- 
cago, and  others  at  Moline,  Rock  Island,  Alton,  and  Quincy. 


FINAL  SUGGESTIONS 


Importance  of  the  Subject.  In  the  preceding  pages  we 
have  presented  the  history  and  civil  government  of  Chicago, 
Cook  County,  and  Illinois,  yet  only  in  the  briefest  manner 
possible  for  practical  use  in  public  schools.  The  importance 
of  a thorough  knowledge  of  the  elements  which  are  neces- 
sary to  good  government  and  good  citizenship  is  acknowl- 
edged more  generally  to-day  than  ever  before.  If  the 
pupils  in  our  schools  are  to  become  intelligent  and  useful 
citizens  they  must  have  this  knowledge.  They  must  know 
the  causes  and  conditions  which  have  led  up  to  the  existing 
forms"  of  government,  and  they  must  know  what  are  the 
things  which  make  a city  or  a state  great  or  strong. 

The  Study  of  Municipal  Government.  The  study  of 
civil  government  as  pursued  in  most  schools  has  too  little 
to  do  with  the  government  of  our  great  cities.  It  is  the 
cities  that  shape  all  legislation ; in  them  reside  the  strongest 
forces  which  influence  the  lawmakers  of  the  state.  In  a 
sense  they  not  only  make  the  laws  of  the  state,  but  are  them- 
selves the  vital  forces  of  the  state.  It  is  important,  then, 
that  the  government  of  cities  should  receive  a larger  share 
of  the  attention  given  to  civics  in  our  schools.  In  Illinois, 
Chicago  presents  the  greatest  and  most  important  munici- 
pal problems  anywhere  found  in  the  state.  The  study  of 
Chicago  is  therefore  of  equal  importance  with  the  study  of 
the  state. 


268 


FINAL  SUGGESTIONS 


269 


Municipal  Government  Interesting  to  Children.  In 

any  city  the  pupils  in  the  schools  will  be  more  benefited  by 
studying  the  government  of  their  own  city  than  by  trying 
to  comprehend  what  seems  to  them  a theoretical  form  of 
so-called  state  government,  remote  from  their  daily  life, 
even  the  existence  of  which  they  see  no  evidence  of.  In 
the  city  they  see  the  government  in  action;  they  admire  the 
policemen ; they  honor  the  firemen ; they  appreciate  the 
street  car,  the  schools,  the  libraries,  the  waterworks,  the 
parks,  the  jail;  etc.,  and  know  what  these  institutions  mean; 
but  their  minds  are  confused  when  they  are  taught  about 
matters  of  state  with  which  they  have  no  personal  contact, 
and  about  which  they  can  form  only  a vague  conception. 

Supplementary  Work  Needed..  The  discussion  of 
topics  in  the  preceding  pages  is  little  more  than  an  enu- 
meration of  some  important  facts.  The  full  benefit  will  not 
be  derived  from  their  study  unless  the  teacher  supplements 
the  facts  here  given  by  much  detail,  and  by  accompanying 
his  pupils  to  see  for  themselves  the  things  in  which  they 
are  interested.  They  should  also  have  access  through  their 
school  library  to  the  annual  reports  of  the  different  depart- 
ments of  the  city  government,  and  of  all  the  great  corpora- 
tions and  institutions  of  the  city.  If  possible,  the  school 
library  should  contain  a copy  of  the  City  Code,  and  an 
abundance  of  photographs.  Stereopticon  lectures  should 
be  given,  to  impress  more  thoroughly  upon  the  pupils’ 
minds  the  extent  of  Chicago’s  industries  and  the  intricacy 
of  their  management. 

The  Pupils’  Personal  Interest.  Children  should  be  led 
to  see  that  all  this  life  and  activity  about  them,  all  this 


270 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


elaborate  system  of  municipal  government,  is  only  the  great 
life  of  which  they  are  themselves  a part,  and  in  which  they 
should  feel  a deep  personal  interest.  In  connection  with 
this  study,  the  individual’s  obligations  and  personal  inter- 
ests should  be  emphasized  and  enforced.  Their  fathers  are 
more  or  less  directly  connected  with  what  is  described  in 
the  book,  and  this  fact  should  be  made  a vital  one  in  nearly 
every  lesson. 

A City’s  Personality.  There  is  hardly  any  subject  of 
more  vital  interest  and  importance  than  that  which  has  to 
do  with  the  development  of  a city’s  personality;  for  a great 
city  like  Chicago  certainly  has  a personality  of  its  own, 
and  it  is  as  interesting  to  trace  the  history  of  its  develop- 
ment and  growth,  and  discover  the  elements  of  its  present 
greatness,  as  it  is  to  study  the  biography  of  a great  man. 

The  Charm  of  a Great  City.  Chicago  is  a live  city — a 
lively  city.  It  had  its  birth ; it  developed  its  character ; and 
it  now  enjoys  its  own  individuality.  Its  attractions  are  as 
real  as  its  repulsions.  There  is  a charm  in  any  such  great 
city  which  is  felt  by  all  classes  of  people,  young  or  old, 
learned  or  unlearned,  the  philosopher,  the  poet,  and  even 
the  rustic  from  the  farm.  It  is  the  vital,  active  life  of  the 
city  that  makes  it  so  attractive.  Hence  the  constant  flow 
of  humanity  from  the  country  to  the  city. 

Chicago  Has  Been  Transformed.  This  active  business 
and  social  life  of  Chicago  has  transformed  it  within  the 
past  few  years  from  a great  pork-packing  metropolis  merely 
into  a city  of  art,  industry,  education,  and  great  moral  in- 
fluences. The  artistic  sentiment  of  Chicago  is  to-day  the 
dominant  influence  in  shaping  her  future  career,  and  the 


FINAL  SUGGESTIONS 


271 


greatest  undertakings  of  her  citizens  now  have  to  do  with 
the  aesthetic  and  moral  rather  than  the  politic  or  even  the 
civic.  The  recent  improvements  in  her  street-railway  service, 
in  her  street-paving,  in  her  great  boulevards,  in  her  mag- 
nificent retail  stores,  rivaling  the  finest  to  be  found  in  any 
of  the  cities  of  the  world ; her  numerous  clubs  and  leagues 
whose  chief  aim  is  to  purify  the  politics  of  the  city,  enhance 
its  civic  virtues,  and  improve  the  conditions  of  its  more 
unfortunate  citizens — these  and  many  other  agencies  are 
tending  to  make  Chicago  great  in  all  that  pertains  to  the 
higher  and  better  things  of  life,  as  well  as  in  numbers  and 
the  magnitude  of  her  industries. 

Books  for  Reference.  As  an  aid  in  the  further  study 
of  this  subject,  the  following  imperfect  list  of  books  is  sug- 
gested. Most  of  these  books  may  be  found  in  the  Crerar 
Library  or  the  Public  Library. 

Efficient  Democracy. — Allen. 

Civics  and  Health. — Allen. 

How  the  World  Is  Fed. — Carpenter. 

The  Social  Problem  at  the  Chicago  Stock-yards. — Bushnell. 

Principles  of  Relief. — Devine. 

Modern  Methods  of  Charity. — Henderson. 

Prisoners  and  Paupers. — Boies. 

How  to  Become  a Patrolman. — O’Reilly. 

Outlines  for  Teaching  Civics. — Thurston. 

Guarding  a Great  City. — McAdoo. 

Through  the  Chicago  Stock-yards. — O’Brien. 

The  Story  of  Chicago  and  National  Development. — Atkinson. 

A Students’  History  of  Illinois. — Smith. 

Lessons  for  Junior  Citizens.— Hill. 

The  Making  of  Illinois. — Mather. 

The  Old  Northwest. — Hinsdale. 

City  Government  for  Young  People. — Willard. 

Illinois  and  the  Nation. — Trowbridge. 


272 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


Government  and  the  Citizen. — Ashley. 

The  American  City. — Wilcox. 

City  Government  in  the  United  States. — Goodnow. 

The  Study  of  City  Government. — Wilcox. 

Municipal  Administration. — Fairlie. 

Actual  Government.— Hart. 

Municipal  Administration. — Coler. 

History  of  Illinois. — Brown. 

The  Illini. — Carr. 

Illinois  in  1837. — Ellsworth. 

Chapters  from  Illinois  History. — Mason. 

Early  History  of  Illinois. — Breese. 

History  of  Illinois. — Ford. 

Black  Hawk  War  — Stevens. 

Old  ’Kaskia  Days. — Holbrook. 

Illinois  in  the  Eighteenth  Century. — Mason. 

The  Story  of  Tonty. — Catherwood. 

Annual  Reports  of  the  various  departments,  hospitals,  corpora- 
tions, etc. 

Directory  of  Chicago  Charities. 

Blue  Books  of  Illinois. 

Publications  of  Historical  Societies  of  Illinois  and  Chicago. 
Publications  of  Chicago  Geographical  Society. 

Articles  on  Police,  etc.,  in  any  good  encyclopedia. 

Captain  A.  R.  Piper’s  report  of  an  investigation  of  the  discipline 
and  administration  of  the  Police  Department  of  the  City  of 
Chicago. 


APPENDIX— MARCH  1,  1911. 


Page  44.  Building  Level.  It  has  been  discovered  by 
engineers  that  the  surface  of  the  land  within  the  loop  dis- 
trict has  sunk  from  six  to  eight  inches  during  the  last 
twenty  years,  the  reasons  assigned  being  the  construction 
of  heavy  buildings  and  the  subway  of  the  Illinois  Tunnel 
Company.  The  discovery  was  made  when  it  was  found 
that  newly  laid  sidewalks  were  six  to  eight  inches  higher 
than  the  older  walks  adjoining. 

Page  54.  Council  Committees.  To  the  list  of  standing 
committees  of  the  Council  should  be  added:  Fire  De- 

partment, Local  Industries  and  special  committees  on 
Bathing  Beaches  and  Recreation  Piers,  and  City  Ex- 
penditures ; and  the  special  committee  on  Public  Lands 
should  be  omitted.  These  special  committees  are  now 
called  select  committees. 

Page  63.  Pension  Funds.  The  Comptroller’s  report 
shows  that  the  city  paid  the  following  sums  into  the  Pen- 
sion Fund  in  1910 : 


Three-fourths  of  dog  licenses $ 90,642.00 

One-fourth  of  pawnbrokers’  licenses 64,030.00 

One-fourth  of  junk  dealers’  licenses 1,021.03 

One-fourth  of  second-hand  dealers’  licenses 2,433.78 

Three  per  cent  of  liquor  licenses 1,512.94 

Three  per  cent  of  saloon  licenses 214,545.00 

Other  licenses  15,809.92 

Police  details  30,429.84 

Sale  of  lost  or  unclaimed  property 187.47 

One-half  of  costs  for  violations  of  city  ordinances  and  all 

fines  for  concealed  weapons 42,037.00 


Total  $402,668.93 

The  Police  Pension  Fund  now  amounts  to  $450,000. 


273 


274 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS 


For  full  information  concerning  the  creation  of  these 
funds  and  the  method  of  their  distribution,  consult  the 
Illinois  statutes. 

Page  67.  Dumping  in  the  Lake.  In  May,  1910,  Con- 
gress passed  a bill  making  it  unlawful  to  deposit  refuse 
matter  of  any  kind,  except  sewerage,  into  Lake  Michigan 
at  any  point  opposite  Cook  County,  or  Lake  County,  In- 
diana, within  eight  miles  from  the  shore.  This  was  done 
to  protect  the  water  supply  from  contamination,  and  ap- 
plies to  government  dredging  work. 

Page  69.  Bureau  of  Firearms.  By  order  of  the  Mayor 
this  bureau  was  discontinued  February  6,  1911. 

Page  86.  Commissioner  of  Public  Works.  By  an  or- 
dinance passed  June  13,  1910,  it  was  made  the  duty  of  the 
Commissioner  of  Public  Works  to  award  and  execute 
contracts  for  any  work  or  public  improvement,  the  cost  of 
which  exceeds  five  hundred  dollars,  and  all  contracts  for 
coal  for  the  use  of  any  department  of  the  city. 

Page  95.  Street  Numbers.  Numbers  in  the  business 
section  of  the  city  were  changed  April  1,  1911,  so  as  to 
conform  to  the  general  plan  of  numbering  in  the  residence 
districts. 

Page  103.  Automobile  License.  On  March  14,  1910, 
the  Council  amended  the  ordinance  relative  to  automobile 
license  so  that  every  license  is  terminable  on  December 
first  of  each  year,  and  the  charge  made  is  three  dollars  if 
the  license  runs  for  a period  exceeding  six  months ; one 
dollar  and  a half  if  for  a period  less  than  six  months. 

Page  107.  Board  of  Education.  At  its  meeting  held 
December  14,  1910,  the  Board  of  Education  increased 
the  powers  and  duties  of  the  secretary  of  the  board  by 
giving  him  jurisdiction,  direction,  and  control  over  all  de- 


APPENDIX. 


275 


partments  of  the  board  other  than  that  of  education,  also 
over  the  civil  service  employes  of  the  department  of  edu- 
cation. He  was  also  given  general  charge,  direction,  and 
control  over  all  expenditures  of  money  (except  the  pay- 
ment of  teachers’  salaries),  the  investment  of  all  property 
of  the  public  school  system,  and  all  other  matters  of  a 
business  nature.  His  salary  was  made  equal  to  that  of 
the  Superintendent  of  Schools. 

Page  112.  Municipal  Court.  The  branch  civil  courts 
of  the  first  district  are  now  located  in  the  new  City  Hall. 

Page  114.  Bill  Posting.  An  ordinance  passed  July  11, 
1910,  requires  that  before  any  poster  or  advertisement  of 
any  kind  which  exceeds  twelve  square  feet  in  area  may 
be  put  up  in  any  place,  a permit  must  be  obtained  from 
the  Commissioner  of  Buildings. 

Page  119.  Public  Library.  There  are  now  over  one 
hundred  places  where  patrons  of  the  Public  Library  may 
secure  books  for  home  use,  or  return  those  which  they 
have  read.  Fifteen  of  these  are  circulating  centers,  where 
one  may  make  his  own  selection  from  the  books  on  the 
shelves. 

Several  deposit  collections,  containing  from  200  to  500 
books  each,  have  also  been  placed  in  factories  and  mer- 
cantile institutions  for  the  convenience  of  laborers. 

Page  150.  Gas.  The  People’s  Gas  Light  and  Coke 
Company  pays  the  city  annually  five  per  cent  of  its  gross 
receipts. 

Page  173.  Population  of  Chicago.  The  government 
census  of  June,  1910,  gave  the  official  figure  of  2,185,283 
as  the  population  of  Chicago. 

Page  175.  Conventions.  The  Association  of  Com- 


276 


CHICAGO,  COOK  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS. 


merce  estimates  that  during  the  last  five  years  the  money 
spent  in  Chicago  by  persons  attending  conventions  here 
amounts  to  $44,160,000.  The  number  of  conventions  is 
given  as  1,275,  and  the  aggregate  attendance  at  1,380,- 
000.  The  'average  time  a visitor  remained  in  the  city  is 
estimated  at  four  days,  and  his  daily  expenditures  at 
eight  dollars. 

ADDITIONAL  MATTER  IN  THIS  APPENDIX. 

Height  of  Buildings.  By  an  ordinance  adopted  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1911,  the  maximum  height  of  new  buildings  per- 
mitted after  September  1,  1911,  was  fixed  at  200  feet. 

Passenger  Subway.  In  February,  1910,  the  Mayor  ap- 
pointed a Chief  Subway  Engineer,  with  instructions  to 
formulate  a plan  for  a passenger  subway  under  the  city. 
Several  such  plans  have  now  been  completed,  and  it  is  ex- 
pected that  all  necessary  legal  preliminaries  will  be  at- 
tended to  soon,  when  one  of  the  plans  will  be  adopted  and 
work  begun. 

Sales  of  Intoxicating  Liquors.  A recent  ordinance  re- 
quires all  druggists  to  report  monthly  to  the  Chief  of 
Police  all  sales  of  intoxicating  liquors  in  quantities  of 
more  than  six  ounces ; also  to  keep  a complete  record  of 
all  sales  of  liquors,  no  matter  how  small  the  quantities. 


INDEX 


A 

Accounting  Division,  51,  97. 
Adjutant  General,  264. 
Administration,  Board,  265,  266. 
Administrator,  Public,  265. 
Agricultural  Machines  and  Im- 
plements, 148;  Products,  229. 
Aldermen,  53. 

Algonquin  Indians,  232,  238,  239, 
242. 

Alleghenies,  242,  243,  244. 
Allouez,  Father,  232. 

Alton,  247. 

Ambulance  Service,  Bureau,  51, 
76. 

American  Fur  Company,  8. 
American  Railway  Union,  33. 
Amusement  Parks,  166. 

Anarchist  Riots,  31,  35. 

Animals,  Cruelty  to,  113. 
Annexation,  35. 

Appellate  Court,  213. 
Architecture,  Bureau,  51,  96. 
Arkansas,  233. 

Armstrong,  Fort,  249. 

Arnold,  I.  N.,  12. 

Art  Commission,  167. 

Art  Institute,  126. 

Art  League,  Outdoor,  130 ; Mu- 
nicipal, 168. 

Assessors,  Board,  214;  Town 

221. 

Association  of  Commerce,  132. 
Astor,  John  Jacob,  8,  12. 
Asylums,  State,  265. 

Attorney,  City,  60;  County,  210; 

State,  213 ; General,  257,  259. 
Auditor,  State,  257,  259. 
Australian  Ballot,  263. 
Automobile  Registry,  Board,  51, 
103. 


B 

Bacteriologist,  74. 

Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad, 
252. 

Barry,  William,  7. 

Bathing-Beaches,  165. 

Baths,  Free  Public,  77. 

Beaubien,  Mark,  14. 

Bed-rock,  46. 

Benches  and  Street  Grades, 
Division,.  93. 

Bench  Monuments,  94. 

Bill  Becomes  Law,  256. 

Bill-posting,  114. 

Black  Hawk,  248,  249;  War,  248, 
252. 

Blaekstone  Hotel,  80. 

Blasting,  114. 

Blue  Island,  41,  47 ; Ridge,  38. 

Boards:  Examiners  of  Engineers, 
51,  83  ; Examiners  of  Plumbers, 
51,  85 ; Supervising  Engineers, 
51,  84;  Local  Improvements, 
51,  99 ; Automobile  Registry, 
51,  103 ; Examiners  of  Moving 
Picture  Operators,  51,  85 ; 

Education  51,  107;  County 
Commissioners,  202 ; Trade, 
143;  Assessors,  214;  Review, 
214;  Directors,  221;  Health, 
265;  Administration,  265. 
266. 

Boiler  Inspection,  51,  81. 

Books  for  Reference,  271. 

Bridewell,  Committee,  54. 

Bridgeport,  18,  41,  45. 

Bridges,  Committee,  54;  and 
Viaducts,  Division,  87. 

Buena  Vista,  250. 

Building,  Department,  50,  79; 
Committee,  54. 


277 


27S 


INDEX 


Bureaus:  Detective,  50,  66; 

Identification,  50,  68 ; Police 
Records,  50,  68 ; Fire-arms,  50, 
69;  Vital  Statistics,  50,  72; 
Contagious  Diseases,  50,  76; 
Laboratory  Service,  50,  74; 
Food  Inspection,  50,  74;  Sani- 
tation, 51,  75;  Hospital  and 
Ambulance  Service,  51,  76; 
Engineering,  51,  86;  Streets, 
51,  88;  Sewers,  51,  93,  100; 
Water,  51,  97,  100;  Maps  and 
Plats,  51,  95;  Architecture,  51, 
96;  Compensation,  51,  97; 

Fire-alarm  Telegraph,  51,  101  ; 
Police-alarm  Telegraph,  51, 
102;  Electrical  Inspection,  51, 
102;  Gas  Inspection,  51,  102; 
Electrical  Construction  and 
Maintenance,  51,  103;  In- 

formation and  Publicity,  51, 
105;  Special  Assessments,  100; 
Sidewalks,  100;  Streets  and 
Alleys,  100. 

Business  Agent,  62. 

Business  Done  at  Stockyards, 
137. 

Business  Manager,  110. 

C 

Cabs  and  Carriages,  Fares,  116. 
Cahokia,  241,  244;  Indians,  238, 
239. 

Cairo,  251. 

Calumet  River,  15,  41 ; Lake,  43, 
45. 

Calvary  Cemetery,  169. 

Camp  Good  Will,  127. 

Canada,  241,  245. 

Candidates,  Nominated,  58. 
Capitals,  State,  247. 

Carter  H.  Harrison  Crib,  25. 
Catholic  Church  in  Chicago,  131. 
Causes  of  Chicago ’s  Growth,  14. 
Cemeteries,  169. 

Census,  School,  111. 

Centennial  Celebration,  35. 

Cerro  Gordo,  250. 

Certificate  of  Title,  234. 


Champlain,  Lake,  242. 

Chappel,  Eliza,  26. 

Charitable  Organizations,  127. 

Charities  Commission,  266. 

Charm  of  Great  City,  270. 

Chartres,  Fort,  240,  241,  242,  243, 
246. 

Chemist,  74. 

Chesbrough,  E.  S.,  22. 

Chicago  a Convention  City,  175. 

Chicago  and  Northwestern  Rail- 
way, 16;  Station,  80. 

Chicago : Association  of  Com- 

merce, 130;  Board  of  Trade, 
143 ; Clearing  House  Associa- 
tion, 145;  Commons,  129; 
Erring  Woman’s  Refuge,  74; 
Female  Seminary,  26;  Fort,  9, 
10;  Harbor,  47;  Harbor  Com- 
mission, 107 ; Historical  Soci- 
ety, 7,  12,  123;  Hydraulic 

Company,  21;  Infants’  Hos- 
pital, 74;  Lake,  36;  Law  and 
Order  League,  133 ; Outlet,  37, 
42;  Police,  36,  37;  Portage, 
234,  235,  237 ; Public  Library, 
119;  River,  8,  9,  13,  18,  20, 
39,  47,  233,  234,  236,  238,  245; 
Sunday  Evening  Club,  131 ; 
Telephone  Company,  152; 
Transformed,  270. 

Chief  of  Police,  63,  64. 

Chief  Statistician,  105. 

Chippewa  Indians,  10. 

Cholera,  Epidemic,  35. 

Chouteau,  Father,  241. 

Christian  Association,  Young 
Men’s,  130;  Young  Women’s, 
130. 

Cities,  Villages,  and  Towns  Act, 
53. 

Citizens  ’ Association,  132. 

Citizens,  Duty  of,  49;  How  to 
Become,  261. 

City:  Art  Commission,  167;  At- 
torney, 60;  Clerk,  50,  55;  Club, 
133;  Collector,  63;  Comp- 
troller, 61 ; Council,  50,  53 ; 
Dog  Pound,  50,  68 ; Electrician, 


INDEX 


279 


100;  Engineer,  86;  Expendi- 
tures, Commission,  106;  Gar- 
dens Association,  130;  Hall,  32, 
49,  80 ; Hall  Committee,  54 ; 
Markets,  51,  106;  Paymaster, 
62;  Physician,  74;  Treasurer, 
62. 

Civic  Federation,  134. 

Civics,  Importance  of,  258. 

Civil  Service  Commission,  50,  53. 
210;  Committee,  54. 

Civil  Service  Keform  Association, 
134. 

Civil  War,  12,  250,  253. 

Clark.  George  Rogers,  9,  242, 
243 ; Fort,  245. 

Climate,  248. 

Clearing  House,  145. 

Clerk,  Town,  221. 

Clothing,  Men ’s,  142 ; Women ’s, 
143. 

Coke  for  Fuel,  230. 

Coles,  Governor,  247. 

Coliseum,  176. 

Collector,  City,  63;  County,  221. 

Commander-in-Chief,  258,  264. 

Commissions  and  Commissioners : 
United  States,  10;  Civil  Serv- 
ice, 50,  55,  209;  Election,  50; 
City  Expenditures,  106;  Mu- 
nicipal Efficiency,  106;  Harbor, 
107;  South  Park,  159;  West 
Park,  160  ; Lincoln  Park,  160  ; 
North  Shore,  161 ; Special 
Park,  164;  Jury,  214;  Chari- 
ties, 266 ; Illinois  and  Michigan 
Canal,  13. 

Commissioner:  Health,  72  ; Build- 
ing, 79  ; Track  Elevation,  97 ; 
Information  and  Publicity, 
105;  Highway,  221;  Railroad, 
265. 

Committees,  Council,  54;  Special, 
54 ; County,  202 ; Standing, 
255. 

Common  Council,  54. 

Commonwealth  Edison  Company, 
151. 

Company  of  the  West,  240. 


Compensation,  Bureau,  51,  97 ; 
Committee,  54. 

Comptroller,  City,  61 ; County, 

210. 

Compulsory  Education,  112. 
Concordia  Cemetery,  170. 
Congress,  U.  S.,  13,  251;  Conti- 
nental, 244. 

Connecting  Lines,  147. 

Conspiracy  of  Pontiac,  241. 
Constitution,  State,  246,  260. 
Constitutional  Convention,  244. 
Construction,  Department,  50,  68. 
Consumptive  Hospital,  205. 
Contagious  Diseases,  Bureau,  50, 
76. 

Continental  Divide,  38. 
Continuation  High  Schools,  110. 
Cook,  Daniel  P.,  13. 

Corn  Products  Refining  Company, 
152. 

Coroner,  213. 

Corporation  Counsel,  59. 
Correction,  House  of,  50. 
Counting  Votes,  59. 

County  Agent,  203;  Commis- 
sioners, 202;  Comptroller,  210; 
Illinois,  244;  Hospital,  205; 
Officers,  201 ; Physician,  205 ; 
Surveyor,  213 ; Teachers  ’ Asso- 
ciation, 211. 

Court:  Appellate,  213,  263,  264; 
Circuit,  213,  263,  264;  City, 
263,  264;  County,  213,  263; 
Juvenile,  214;  Municipal,  52, 
112,  263,  264;  Probate,  213, 
263,  264;  Superior,  213;  Su- 
preme, 263. 

Cruelty  to  Animals,  113. 
Crevecmur,  Fort,  236,  237. 
Custodian ’s  Office,  50,  67. 

D 

Daily  News,  172;  Fresh  Air 
Fund,  127. 

Dead  Animals,  Removal  of,  78. 
Dearborn,  Henry,  10;  Fort,  9,  10. 

11,  12,  30,  35,  245. 

Debs,  Eugene  V.,  33. 


2, SO 


INDEX 


Decatur,  252. 

Declaration  of  Intention,  261. 
Delivery  Stations,  121. 
Departments:  Law,  50,  59,  100; 
Finance,  50,  61 ; Police,  50,  63 ; 
Vehicle  Inspection,  50,  68; 

Construction,  50,  68;  Fire,  50, 
69;  Building,  50,  79;  Health, 
50,  72;  Public  Works,  51,  86; 
Track  Elevation,  51,  97 ; Local 
Transportation,  51,  98;  Elec- 
tricity, 51,  100;  Insane,  20<t ; 
Poor,  204;  Insurance,  264; 
Military,  264. 

Desplaines  River,  37,  38,  41,  42, 
233. 

Detective  Bureau,  50,  66. 
Detention  Hospital,  205. 

Detroit,  Fort,  242. 

Directors,  School,  221. 

Distances  in  Chicago,  92. 
Divisions:  Accounting,  51,  97; 
Benches  and  Street,  Grades,  93 ; 
Bridges  and  Viaducts,  87 ; 
City,  49;  House-drain,  93; 
Water-pipe  Extension,  87. 

Dog  Pound,  50,  68. 

Douglas:  Camp,  251;  Monument, 
34,  251 ; Square,  251 ; Stephen 
A.,  34,  251,  253. 

Drainage;  Canal,  19,  35,  37,  38, 
40;  City,  18,  38. 

Dune  Park,  47. 

Dunning  Institutions,  204. 

Duty  of;  Citizens,  49;  Patrol- 
men, 65. 

Dyer,  36. 

E 

Education,  Board,  52,  107 ; Com- 
pulsory, 112. 

Educational  Institutions,  267. 
Edward  F.  Dunne  Crib,  25. 
Edwards,  Ninian,  9,  245. 
Efficiency  Commission,  52,  106. 
Election : Committee,  54,  58 ; 

Town  Officers,  220 ; Commis- 
sioners, 50,  57. 

Electors,  262. 


Electrical  Inspection,  Bureau,  51, 

102. 

Electrical  Construction  and 
Maintenance,  51,  103. 
Electrician,  City,  100. 

Electricity,  151;  Department,  51, 

100. 

Electric  Lights,  Committee,  54. 
Elevated  Loop,  35. 

Elgin,  17. 

Ellsworth,  Elmer,  251. 

Enabling  Act,  246. 

Engineer,  City,  86. 

Engineering,  Bureau,  51,  86. 
Engineers,  Examiners  of,  51,  83; 
Street  Eailway  Supervising,  51, 
84. 

England,  241. 

Erring  Woman’s  Refuge,  74. 
Evanston,  46. 

Evening  Schools,  109. 

Examiners : Engineers,  51,  83 ; 
Moving  Picture  Operators,  51; 
Plumbers,  51,  85;  Secretary 
of,  51. 

Executive  Boards,  265. 

Executive  Branch,  City,  50,  55. 
Executive  Bureau,  50. 

Expert,  Transportation,  98. 
Extension,  Normal,  110. 

F 

Farm,  205. 

Federal  Building,  187. 

Finance  Department,  50,  61 ; 

Committee,  54. 

Financial,  155 ; Panic,  35. 

Fire,  1871,  27,  35,  71 ; Iroquois, 
35. 

Fire-alarm,  How  to  Give,  101 ; 

Telegraph  Bureau,  51,  101. 
Fire  Department,  50,  69. 

Fire  Department,  50,  69. 

Fire  Marshal,  72,  100. 

First  Papers,  261. 

First  Railroad,  16. 

First  Schools  in  Chicago,  26. 
First  Settlement,  8. 

Fish  Inspector,  75. 


INDEX 


2S1 


Flood  in  Chicago  River,  35. 

Fond  du  Lac,  10. 

Food  Inspection,  Bureau,  50,  74. 
Forecasts,  194. 

Forest  Home  Cemetery,  170. 
Forest  Beserve,  166. 

Forts:  Armstrong,  249;  Chartres, 
240,  241,  242,  243,  246;  Chi- 
cago, 9,  10;  Clark,  245; 

Crevecceur,  236,  237;  Dear- 

born, 9,  10,  11,  12,  30,  35, 
245 ; Detroit,  242 ; Frontenac, 
236;  Gage,  243;  Meigs,  244; 
Miami,  236;  Necessity,  241; 
Niagara,  236,  242;  Pitt,  242; 
St.  Louis,  237,  238;  Vincennes, 
243. 

Forward  Movement,  129. 
Fountains,  169. 

Four-mile  Crib,  25. 

Fox  Indians,  238,  239. 

Fox  River,  233. 

France,  236,  237,  239,  240,  241, 
245. 

Free  Public  Baths,  77. 

French  in  Illinois,  239,  241,  244. 
French  and  Indian  War,  241. 
Fresh  Air  Funds,  127. 

Frontenac,  Fort,  236. 

G 

Gads  Hill,  127. 

Gage,  Fort,  243. 

Gaines,  General,  249. 

Galena,  16,  240,  250,  251. 

Galena  and  Chicago  Union  Rail- 
road, 16,  17. 

Galewood,  36. 

Garbage,  89. 

Gardens  Association,  130. 

Gas,  149;  Inspection  Bureau,  51. 

102;  Committee,  54. 

General  Assembly,  255,  257,  258. 
General  Taxation,  Committee,  54. 
George,  Lake,  43. 

George  Rogers  Clark,  242,  243. 
George  Washington,  241,  244. 
Geographical  Location,  15. 
Geology  of  Region.  44. 


German  Lutheran  Cemetery,  170. 
Glenn  Haven,  235. 

Glenwood,  36. 

Good  Shepherd,  House  of,  74. 
Governor,  256,  257. 

Graceland  Cemetery,  169. 

Grand  Jury,  217. 

Grant,  U.  S.,  250. 

Grant  Park,  11,  159. 

Great  Northern  Cross,  252. 

Great  River,  233. 

Green  Bay,  232,  233,  236,  237. 
Griffin,  236. 

Grosse  Point,  10. 

Guarie,  12. 

Gulf  of  Mexico,  17,  37,  233,  23 1. 
H 

Hardin,  Colonel,  250. 

Hamilton  Club,  134. 

Hammond,  41,  43,  47. 

Harbor,  Chicago,  41;  Commis- 
sion, 52,  87,  107;  Committee, 
54;  Convention,  35;  Master, 
87. 

Harrodsburg,  243. 

Hawthorne,  45. 

Health  Department,  50,  72;  Com- 
mittee, 54;  Commissioner,  72. 
Hegewisch,  41. 

Henderson,  Abner  W.,  36. 

Henry,  Patrick,  243. 

Hickory  Creek,  42. 

Highway  Commissioners,  221. 
Hospital,  Consumptive,  205 ; 
Cook  County,  205;  Detention, 
205. 

Hospital  Service,  51. 

House  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  74. 
House-drain  Division,  92. 

House  of  Correction,  50,  74,  78. 
House  of  Representatives,  255. 
Houses  of  Shelter,  79. 

Hovey,  C.  E.,  250. 

How  to  Call  a Policeman,  102. 
How  to  Give  a Fire-alarm,  101. 
How  to  Use  the  Library,  120. 
Hubbard,  Edward,  7. 

Hull  House,  129. 


282 


INDEX 


Hurricane  Signal,  194. 

Hyde  Park,  25,  53. 

I 

Identification  Bureau,  50,  68. 
Illini  Indians,  232,  238. 

Illinois,  Name,  238. 

Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  17, 
35,  37,  41,  245. 

Illinois  Central  Bailroad,  251. 
Illinois  Country,  9,  240,  241. 
Illinois  Humane  Society,  127. 
Illinois  Indians,  234,  237,  238. 
Illinois  National  Guard,  267. 
Tlinois  Naval  Beserve,  267. 
Illinois  Biver,  18,  19,  37,  42,  233, 
234,  236,  238. 

Indian  Creek,  249. 

Indiana,  9,  15,  244,  247,  252. 
Indians,  10,  13;  Become  Citizens, 
262. 

Indians  in  Illinois,  238. 
Information  and  Publicity 
Bureau,  51,  105. 

Information  Signal,  194. 

Insane  Department,  204. 
Inspection  and  Inspectors:  Boil- 
ers, 51,  81;  Buildings,  79; 
Electrical,  51,  102;  Fish,  75; 
Food,  50,  74;  Gas,  51,  102; 
Ice,  75;  Meat,  75;  Oil,  51,  81; 
Sanitary,  75;  Schools,  27; 
Vehicle,  50,  68;  Weights  and 
Measures,  51,  82. 

Institutions  at  Dunning,  204. 
Insurance  Department,  264. 
International  Amphitheater,  175. 
International  Harvester  Com- 
pany, 148. 

International  Livestock  Exposi- 
tion, 138. 

Iowa,  240,  248. 

Iroquois  Club,  134. 

Iroquois  Indians,  232,  237,  238, 
239. 

J 

Jackson  Park,  159. 

Jacksonville,  252. 


Japanese,  261. 

Jefferson,  25,  53. 

John  Crerar  Library,  122. 

John  Law,  240. 

John  Worthy  School,  79. 

Joliet,  17,  232,  234,  235,  236. 
Judges:  Probate,  213;  County, 
213;  Superior,  213;  Circuit, 
213. 

Judicial  Branch,  City  Govern- 
ment, 50,  112. 

Judiciary  Committee,  54. 

Jury,  Grand,  217. 

Jury  List,  214. 

Jury  Service,  216. 

Jurors,  215. 

Juvenile  Court,  214. 

Juvenile  Detention  Home,  74. 

K 

Kankakee  Portage,  235,  236,  237. 
Kansas,  250. 

Kaskaskia,  9,  234,  235,  237,  239, 
240,  243,  244,  245,  246. 
Kaskaskia  Indians,  238. 

Kentucky,  243. 

King  Louis,  240,  243. 

Kinzie,  House,  238 ; John,  8, 

11,  12. 

L 

Laboratory  Service',  Bureau, 

50,  74. 

La  Clede,  241. 

Lady  Elgin,  35. 

La  Hontan,  8. 

Lake,  25. 

Lakes  and  Marshes,  43. 

Lake  Steamboat  Lines,  152. 

Lake  View,  25,  53. 

Lamoni,  248. 

Languages  in  Chicago,  172. 

La  Pointe,  232. 

La  Babida,  127. 

La  Salle,  235,  236,  237,  238,  239. 
La  Salle  Hotel,  80. 

La  Salle  Street  Tunnel,  171. 

Law  Department,  50,  59,  100. 

Law  and  Order  League,  133. 


INDEX 


283 


Lectures,  Public,  132. 

Legal  Holidays,  176. 

Legal  Fares,  116. 

Legislative  Branch,  City  Govern- 
ment, 50,  52. 

Legislative  Voters’  League,  134. 

Le  Mai,  8. 

Lemont,  37,  42. 

Libraries:  Academy  of  Sciences, 
123 ; Chicago  Historical,  123  ; 
Chicago  Public,  52,  119;  Chi- 
cago Law  Institute,  124;  Evan- 
ston, 124;  Field  Columbian 
Museum,  124 ; Garrett  Biblical 
Institute,  123;  Hammond,  124; 
Harper  Memorial  Building, 
124;  John  Crerar,  122;  Lewis 
Institute,  123;  Newberry,  121; 
Northwestern  University,  123, 
125;  Pullman,  124;  Ryerson, 
123 ; St.  Ignatius  College,  124 ; 
University  of  Chicago,  123, 
125;  Western  Society  of  En- 
gineers, 124. 

Library,  How  to  Use,  120;  and 
Public  Schools,  121. 

License,  Chauffeur,  103;  Commit- 
tee, 54 ; Marriage,  210 ; Ve- 
hicles, 54. 

Lieutenant  Governor,  255,  257, 
258,  259. 

Life-Saving  Stations,  195. 

Light-Houses,  191. 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  249,  251, 

252. 

Lincoln  Park,  160;  Commission- 
ers, 160. 

Local  Improvements,  Board,  51, 
99. 

Local  Transportation,  Depart- 
ment, 51,  98;  Committee,  54. 

Location  of  Chicago,  36. 

Lockport,  18. 

Logan,  John  A.,  250. 

Log-Rolling,  256. 

Louisiana,  239,  241,  245. 

Louisville,  243. 

Lovejoy,  Elijah  P.,  247. 

Lumber  Business,  184. 


M 

Mackinac,  237,  238. 

Manual  Training,  109. 
Manufactures,  156. 

Maps  and  Plats,  Bureau,  51,  95. 
Marietta,  244. 

Markets,  51,  106,  174. 

Marquette,  Father,  232,  234,  235. 
Marquette  Club,  134. 

Marriage  Licenses,  210. 

Marsh,  43. 

Martinique,  240. 

Massacre,  Fort  Dearborn,  10. 
Mayor,  50,  52. 

McClernand,  John,  250. 
McCormick  Reaper  Works,  31. 
Meat  Inspector,  75. 

Meigs,  Fort,  244. 

Memorial  Cross,  234. 

Meredosia,  252. 

Mexican  War,  249. 

Mexico,  249,  250,  253. 

Miami,  Fort,  236. 

Michigamie  Indians,  238. 
Michigan,  244;  Lake,  16,  17,  18, 
36,  38,  42,  47,  48,  233,  235, 
236,  245. 

Miehilimackinac,  232. 

Military  Department,  264. 

Millers,  47. 

Milwaukee,  10. 

Mineral.  Products,  230. 

Mines,  240,  246. 

Minors,  262. 

Mississippi  Bubble,  239. 
Mississippi  River,  10,  17,  19,  37, 
236,  237,  238,  239,  240,  243, 
248,  249. 

Mississippi  System,  41,  233. 
Missouri,  240,  248. 

Mobile,  238,  239. 

Mongolians,  261. 

Montreal,  236. 

Monuments,  162,  163. 

Mormons,  247. 

Mortality  in  Cities,  73. 

Mount  Forest,  38. 

Mount  Greenwood  Cemetery,  169. 


284 


INDEX 


Mount  Hope  Cemetery,  170. 
Mount  Olive  Cemetery,  170. 
Mount  Olivet  Cemetery,  170. 
Moving  Picture  Operators,  51,  85. 
Municipal  Court,  52,  112. 
Municipal  Efficiency  Commission, 
106. 

Municipal  Government,  Study  of, 
268 ; Interesting  to  Children, 
269. 

Municipal  Library,  51,  106. 
Municipal  Lodging  House,  77. 
Municipal  Ownership  League, 
134. 

Municipal  Playgrounds,  164. 
Municipal  Tuberculosis  Sani 
tarium,  127. 

Municipal  Voters’  League,  133. 
Museums,  168. 

N 

Name,  Chicago,  7,  13. 

Natchez  Indians,  242. 

Nativity  of  Population,  173. 
Naturalization,  261. 

Nauvoo,  247. 

Naval  Training  Station,  190. 
Necessity,  Port,  241. 

Newberry  Library,  121. 

New  Birth  of  City,  29. 

New  Chicago,  166. 

New  Orleans,  242. 

New  Salem,  252. 

Newsboys,  171. 

Newspapers,  150. 

New  York,  32,  250,  251. 

Neyon  de  Villiers,  241. 

Niagara,  Fort,  236,  242. 

Niagara  Limestone,  44. 
Nomination  of  Candidates,  58. 
Normal  Extension  Classes,  110. 
North  Branch,  21,  40,  41. 

North  Shore  Channel,  21. 

North  Shore  Electric  Company, 
152. 

North  Shore  Park  Commission- 
ers, 161. 

Northwestern  University,  125. 


Northwestern  University  Settle- 
ment, 129. 

Northwest  Territory,  244,  246. 

O 

Oakwoods  Cemetery,  170. 

Ogden,  William  B.,  14. 

Oglesby,  Richard,  250. 

Ohio,  244,  250. 

Ohio  River,  243,  244. 

Oil,  Inspectors,  51,  SI ; Commit- 
tee, 54. 

Old  Beach  Ridges,  38. 

Old  Mackinac,  232,  235. 
Ordinance  of  1787,  244,  246. 
Ordinances,  City,  113,  114,  115. 
Origin  of  Street  Names,  34. 
Ottawa,  249. 

Ottawa  Indians,  242. 

Ouilmette,  1 2. 

Outdoor  Art  League,  130. 

P 

Packingtown,  136. 

Palmer,  John  M.,  250. 

Parks,  158. 

Patrick  Henry,  243. 

Patrolmen,  Duties  of,  65. 

Patrols,  Fire  Insurance,  72. 
Paymaster,  City,  62. 

Penal  Institutions,  267. 

Penalty  for  Non-payment  of 
Taxes,  209. 

Pennsylvania,  250. 

Pennsylvania  Railroad  Co.,  34. 
Pension  Funds,  63. 

People 's  Gas  Light  and  Coke 
Company,  80. 

Peoria,  8,‘l2,  236,  239. 

Peoria  Indians,  238,  239. 

Peoria  Lake,  245. 

Personality  of  City,  270. 

Pettell,  12. 

Philadelphia,  244. 

Philippines,  262. 

Philip  Renault,  246. 

Physician,  City,  79;  County,  205. 
Playground  Association  of 
America,  166. 


INDEX 


285 


Pitt,  Fort,  242. 

Playgrounds,  Municipal,  164. 
Plumbers,  Examiners  of,  51,  85. 
Police-alarm  Telegraph,  Bureau, 
51,  102. 

Police,  Department,  50,  63;  Com- 
mittee, 54. 

Policemen,  63 ; Respect  for,  66 ; 
Training  of,  69  ; Mounted,  69  ; 
How  to  Call,  102. 

Police  Records,  50,  68. 

Polk,  President,  249. 

Pontiac,  Conspiracy  of,  241,  242. 
Poor  Department,  204. 

Pope,  John,  250. 

Population,  173. 

Portage : Chicago,  234,  235,  237 ; 

Kankakee,  235. 

Porter,  .Jeremiah,  26. 

Porto  Rico,  262. 

Postoffiee,  190. 

Pottawattomie  Indians,  10,  234, 
236,  238,  239,  245,  249. 
Pounds:  Poundmasters,  51,  106. 
Printer  Expert,  259. 

Printing,  Committee,  54. 

Printing  Office,  Police,  67. 
Products,  Agricultural,  229; 
Mineral,  230. 

Property  Sold  for  Taxes,  209. 
Prosecuting  Attorney,  61. 

Public  Administrator,  265. 

Public  Baths,  77. 

Public  Buildings,  Committee,  54. 
Public  Lands,  Committee,  54. 
Public  Lectures,  132. 

Public  Library,  52,  119. 

Public  Schools,  109. 

Public  Recreation  and  Art,  158. 
Public  Works  Department,  51,  86. 
Publishing  Interests,  150. 
Pullman,  32. 

Pumping-stations.  25. 

Pupils’  Personal  Interest,  269. 

Q 

Quarries,  44,  45. 

Quarter,  William,  26. 

Quebec,  232,  233. 


R 

Railroad  Riots,  32. 

Railroad  Strike,  35. 

Railways,  183. 

Rawlins,  John  A.,  250. 
Reconstruction  of  Railway  Lines, 
146. 

Reformatory  Institutions,  267. 
Registration,  262. 

Removal  of  Garbage,  89;  Dead 
Animals,  78. 

Representatives,  House  of,  255. 
Review,  Board  of,  214. 

Reynolds,  Governor,  249. 

River  Tunnels,  171. 

Rivers,  229. 

Riverside,  42. 

Receipts  and  Shipments,  139, 
140. 

Road,  Rules  of,  90. 

Rock  Island,  248,  249. 

Rock  River,  10,  248. 

Rolling  Mills,  143. 

Roman  Catholic  Church,  26. 

Rose  Hill  Cemetery,  170. 

Rules  Committee,  54. 

Rules  of  the  Road,  90. 

S 

Sac  Indians,  238,  239,  248,  249. 
Sag,  37. 

Saible,  Jean  Baptiste,  8. 

Sales,  157. 

Salt  Creek,  42. 

Sand-Dunes,  47. 

San  Domingo,  8,  240,  246. 
Sangamon  River,  252. 

Sanitary  District,  15,  20. 

Sanitary  Institution,  76. 
Sanitation,  Bureau,  51,  75. 

Santa  Anna,  250. 

Sauganash  Tavern,  14. 

Sault  Ste.  Marie,  232. 

Savings  Bank  Crash,  35. 

School  Census,  111 ; Foresters, 
221. 

School  Superintendent,  City,  108  ; 
County,  211 ; State,  257. 


286 


INDEX 


Schools,  Committee,  54;  County, 
212;  Evening,  109;  Public, 
109;  Vacation,  112. 

Scott,  General,  250. 

Secretary : Board  of  Examiners, 
51,  86;  Mayor,  53;  Police,  66; 
State,  257,  258. 

Senate,  255. 

Seneca  Indians,  242. 

Sewers,  Bureau,  51,  93,  100. 
Shawano  Indians,  242. 
Ship-Building,  144. 

Shipments,  17. 

Shoes,  141. 

Shore-line,  46. 

Shovel  Day,  19. 

Sidewalks,  Bureau,  100. 

Signal  Service,  193. 

Sioux  Indians,  232. 

Slavery,  246. 

Smith,  Joseph,  248;  Hyram,  248. 
Smoke  Inspection,  51. 

Social  Settlements,  129. 

South  Bend,  236. 

South  Branch,  40,  41. 

South  Chicago,  41,  43. 

South  Park  Commissioners,  159. 
South  Water  Street  Market,  174. 
Southwest  Lake  and  Land  Tun- 
nel, 25. 

Speaker,  255. 

Special  Assessment,  Bureau,  99 ; 
Committee,  54. 

Special  Commissions:  City  Ex- 
penditures, 51 ; Harbor,  52 ; 
Municipal  Efficiency,  52 ; Small 
Parks,  51. 

Special  Committees,  54. 

Special  Park  Commission,  51, 
164;  Committee,  54. 
Springfield,  247,  251,  253,  255. 
Standing  Committees,  255. 
Starved  Rock,  237,  238. 

State  and  Nation,  254. 

State  Charitable  Institutions,  265. 
Statehood,  12,  245. 

State  Legislation,  Committee,  54. 
State  Legislature,  255. 

State  Printer,  259. 


State’s  Attorney,  213. 
Statistician,  Chief,  105. 
Steamboat  Lines,  152. 

Stock-yards,  Union,  135. 

Stony  Island,  38. 

Storm  Signal,  194. 

Street  Grades,  Division,  93. 

Street  Nomenclature  Committee, 
54. 

Street  Numbering,  95. 

Street  Railways,  145. 

Streets,  Bureau,  51,  88. 

Streets  and  Alleys,  Bureau,  100; 

Committee,  54. 

Subway,  154. 

Summit,  37,  38,  42,  233. 

Sunday  Evening  Club,  131. 
Superintendent:  Compulsory  Edu- 
cation, 112;  Laboratory,  74; 
Maps  and  Plats,  94;  Police,  63; 
Public  Instruction,  257,  259; 
Public  Service,  218 ; Schools, 
108,  211. 

Superior,  Lake,  232,  242. 
Supervising  Engineers,  51,  84. 
Supervisor,  220. 

Supplementary  Work  Needed, 
269. 

Surface  of  Illinois,  229. 

Surveyor,  County,  213. 

St.  Boniface  Cemetery,  170. 

St.  Clair,  Arthur,  244;  County, 
244. 

St.  Ignace,  232,  233,  235. 

St.  Joseph  Orphan  Asylum,  26. 

St.  Joseph  River,  236. 

St.  Lawrence  System,  38,  233. 

St.  Louis,  8,  240,  241,  247,  248; 

Fort,  237,  238. 

St.  Maria  Cemetery,  170. 

T 

Tamaroa  Indians,  238,  239. 
Taxation,  Committee,  54. 

Taxes,  Penalty  for  Non-payment, 
209 ; Eleven  Kinds,  225. 
Taylor,  General,  250. 

Teachers  ’ Association,  Countv, 

211. 


INDEX 


287 


Technical  High  Schools,  110. 
Telephones,  152. 

Territory  of  Illinois,  244,  247. 
Texas,  237. 

Theaters,  126. 

Thornton,  47. 

Tonty,  235,  236,  237,  238,  239, 
245. 

Topography  of  Chicago,  36. 
Torrens  Land  Act,  222. 

Town  Government,  220. 

Towns,  219. 

Track  Elevation,  Department,  51, 
97 ; Committee,  54. 

Training  of  Police,  69. 
Transportation  Expert,  98. 
Treasurer,  City,  62;  State,  257, 
259. 

Treaty  with  Indians,  9,  10. 

Tree  Planting,  165. 

Trustees,  School,  221. 

Tuberculosis  Sanitarium,  127 ; 

Institute,  131. 

Tunnels,  154,  171. 

Two-mile  Crib,  23. 

U 

Union  Stock-yards,  135. 

Union  Stock-yards  and  Transit 
Company,  137. 

United  Charities,  127,  128. 
University  of  Chicago,  35,  124. 
University  of  Chicago  Settlement, 
129. 

University  of  St.  Mary ’s  of  the 
Lake,  26. 

Utica,  234. 

y 

Vacation  Schools,  112. 

Valparaiso  Moraine,  37. 

Van  Buren  Street  Tunnel,  171. 
\andalia,  247. 

Vehicle  Inspection,  50,  68. 
Vehicles,  License,  91. 

Vera  Cruz,  250. 

Vessel  Despateher,  88. 

Veto,  Governor ’s,  257. 


Vincennes,  Fort,  243. 

Virginia,  9,  239,  241,  242. 
Visitation  and  Aid  Society,  127. 
Visiting  Nurses’  Association,  128. 
Vital  Statistics,  Bureau,  50. 
Voting,  59,  259. 

Voting  Machines,  263. 

W 

Wabash  Biver,  241,  243. 
Waldheim  Cemetery,  169. 

War  of  1812,  245. 

Washington,  251;  George,  241, 
244. 

Washington  Street  Tunnel,  171. 
Washington  Volunteers,  69. 

Water  Bureau,  51,  97,  100. 

Water  Department  Committee, 
54. 

Water-pipe  Extension,  87. 

Water  Supply,  History,  21. 
Waubansee,  12. 

Waukegan,  46. 

Wayne,  Anthony,  9,  244. 

Weather  Bureau,  193. 

Webster,  Daniel,  12. 

Weights  and  Measures  Depart- 
ment, 82. 

West  Park  Commissioners,  160. 
Wharves  Committee,  54. 

Wilmette,  12,  21. 

Winchell,  N.  H.,  7. 

Winnebago  Indians,  249. 
Winnetka,  36,  37. 

Wisconsin,  10,  232,  240,  244,  246; 

Eiver,  233. 

Wolf  Hunt,  14. 

Wolf  Lake,  43. 

Women,  Vote  of,  262. 

World’s  Columbian  Exposition, 
31,  35. 

Worthy  School,  John,  79. 

Y 

Yerkes  Observatory,  125. 

Young,  Brigham,  248. 

Z 

Zone  of  Quiet,  91. 


Date  Due 

f VJ/Jf vrC  r-  - , . 

FF’g  It 

Form  335.  45M  8-37. 

4 


1.  Departments. 


1.  Legislative  (General  Assert)  4y.)  -| 


2.  Executive. 


3.  Judicial. 


r 

1.  Senate. 


1.  President  (Lieutenant  Governor.) 

2.  Secretary. 

3.  Committees. 


j 2.  House  of  Representatives. 


1 Speaker. 

2.  Clerk. 

3.  Committees. 


Goverii 


1.  State  Boards  appointed  with  consent  of  Senate. 

2.  State  Educational,  Charitable  and  Penal  Institutions 

3.  State  Officers  appointed  with  consent  of  Senate. 
Lieutenant  Governor. 

Secretary  of  State. 

Audito^, 

Treasut  -r. 

Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 

Attorney  General. 


f 1.  Supreme  Court. 

J 2.  Appellate  Courts, 
j 3.  Circuit  Courts. 

[4.  Court  of  Claims. 


1.  Legislative 
Department. 


1.  Board  of  Supervisors  or  County  Commissioners, 


1.  Counties. 


2. 


Executive 

Department. 


Judicial 

Department. 


H 3. 
I 4. 

I 


i 2. 
< 3. 
I 4. 
15. 


County  Clerk. 

County  Treasurer. 

Recorder.  (Usually  the  same  as  Circuit  Clerk.) 
County  Surveyor. 

County  Superintendent  of  Schools. 

County  Court. 

Probate  Court  (in  large  counties  only.) 

Sheriff. 

State’s  Attorney. 

Coroner. 


Government  of  j 
Illinois. 


2.  Divisions. 


2.  Towns 


1.  Legislative 
Department. 


1.  Town  Meeting. 


I 3. 

I 


Executive 

Department. 


6. 


Supervisor. 

Town  Clerk. 

Assessor. 

Collector. 

Highway  Commissioners. 

l 1.  Board  of  Appointment. 
Town  Boards.  < 2.  Board  of  Auditors. 

( 3.  Board  of  Health. 


Judicial  ( 1.  Justices  of  the  Peace. 

Department.  ( 2.  Constables. 


3.  Cities  and 
Villages. 


] 


l 


1.  Legislative 
Department. 


1.  City  Council  or  Village  Trustees. 


2. 


Executive 

Department. 


f 1- 
2. 
3. 


Mayor  or  President  of  Trustees. 
Clerk. 

Treasurer. 

Collector  of  Assessments. 
Comptroller.  (In  large  Cities.) 
Superintendent  of  Streets. 


3. 

I 


Judicial 

Department. 


f I- 
2 
3. 
i 4. 
I 5. 
(6. 


Municipal  Court.  (Chicago  only.) 
City  Courts.  (In  few  Cities.) 

Police  Magistrate. 

Corporation  Council.  (Large  cities.) 
City  Attorney. 

City  or  Village  Marshal. 


1 


3.  School  System. 


J 1.  Legislative  Department. 


2.  Executive  Department. 


3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 


I 


General  Assembly.  (Laws.) 

Boards  of  Education  and  Directors.  (Rules.) 

State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 
County  Superintendent  of  Schools. 

Township  Trustees  of  Schools. 

Township  Treasurer. 

City  and  Village  School  Boards. 

School  Directors. 

City  Superintendents. 

Principals  and  Teachers. 


3.  Judicial  Department. 


1.  The  various  Courts,  Municipal,  County  and  State. 


W759  509440 


